With just one more day to go before the April 15 deadline for filing of income-tax returns (ITRs), the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) had advised all electronic filers (e-filers) belonging to the Large Taxpayers Group and the top 10,000 under the revenue district offices (RDO) to declare their true income for 2007 and refrain from making “No-Payment” or “No-Operation” declarations in their returns; otherwise, they face stiff penalties and possible criminal charges for tax evasion.

The BIR said it received reports that some of the Electronic Filing and Payment System (EFPS) filers are just filing their tax returns electronically but are not paying the corresponding taxes, due whether electronically or manually, resulting in considerable revenue losses to the government.

Under revenue regulations, all taxpayers classified and identified as large taxpayers and all top 10,000 taxpayers, corporate or individual, within the jurisdiction of the RDOs, are mandated to adopt the EFPS as part of the bureau’s thrust to simplify tax administration.

Earlier, BIR Commissioner Lilian B. Hefti issued a memorandum directing all concerned Revenue Data Center Heads to submit to the Large Taxpayer Service heads, revenue regional directors and district officers listings of e-filers with returns filed but without the corresponding payment of the tax due thereon.

The BIR will then immediately issue a Collection Letter requiring the taxpayers to pay immediately or suffer the pain of criminal, civil and administrative actions.

Hefti has instructed all concerned revenue officials to make immediate calls to the taxpayers, especially for returns involving big amounts.

Also, according to the tax chief, reports of the actions taken covering the listings of EFPS filers, which failed to pay and the amount collected from Collection Letters issued pursuant to her memorandum and status/actions taken against taxpayers, and who still refused to pay, were submitted to her Office and to the Office of the Deputy Commissioner for Operations.

For 2008, the BIR is tasked to collect at least P845 billion or 19 percent more than its goal in 2007.

Teodoro, Esperon push pardon

DEFENSE Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr., Armed Forces chief of staff, would recommend to President Arroyo the granting of executive clemency to the nine junior officers who were convicted last week by the Regional Trial Court in Makati for coup d’état.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Two explosions rocked this city early Sunday morning amid tight security as national games are being held here.
No casualties were reported.

HOG raisers criticized meat processors for their claims that the price of canned goods and processed meat products will increase by as much as 20 percent due to a new policy of the Department of Agriculture (DA) restricting importation of pork products.

HOUSE leaders have vowed the swift passage of two important bills—one that would promote food production through corporate farming and one that would impose higher penalties to hoarders of prime commodities—when Congress resumes session on April 21 to address the prolonged rice problem until 2010 as projected by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

With just one more day to go before the April 15 deadline for filing of income-tax returns (ITRs), the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) had advised all electronic filers (e-filers) belonging to the Large Taxpayers Group and the top 10,000 under the revenue district offices (RDO) to declare their true income for 2007 and refrain from making “No-Payment” or “No-Operation” declarations in their returns; otherwise, they face stiff penalties and possible criminal charges for tax evasion.