Dec 072016
 

In an attempt to generate a greater sense of accountability among tax officials conducting investigations and to ensure an effective feedback mechanism for taxpayers, two new tax issuances were recently released — Revenue Memorandum Order Nos. 54-2016 and 61-2016.
Through RMO 54-2016, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) created a Special Disciplinary Committee for the purpose of investigating revenue officers over questionable tax audits and investigations. The committee was established for the expeditious investigation of revenue officers who failed the test of integrity, competence, and efficiency in the performance of their audit functions or in the conduct of tax investigations uncovered in the process of implementing Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 70-2016. Readers may recall that RMC 70-2016 suspended all field audits and investigations including issuances of Letters of Authority subject to certain exceptions. Moreover, it ordered the inventory of existing tax investigations.