THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has started gathering evidence for possible tax-evasion case against beleaguered Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres D. Bautista.
This was disclosed by Justice Secretary Vitaliano N. Aguirre II at a news briefing on Tuesday, adding that the BIR has formed a five-member team to investigate possible violations of the National Internal Revenue Code by Bautista following allegations of hidden wealth of about P1 billion.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) released to the media a copy of BIR Special Order 706-2017, which was signed by Commissioner Caesar R. Dulay.
In the said order, Dulay designated Regional Director Glen Geraldino of Revenue Region 8 (Makati City) as head of the probe team, with Regional Director Manuel Mapoy and Revenue District Officers Petronilo Fernando, Bethsheba Bautista and Isabel Paulino as members.
In a separate letter, Dulay sought Aguirre’s assistance in the BIR probe.
“To help in the effective discharge of the team’s investigative authority, kindly furnish it, through Director Geraldino, with any and all affidavits, reports and documents, which your office may deem pertinent to the tax investigation,” the BIR chief asked.
Aside from Bautista, Aguirre said also covered by the BIR probe are Bautista’s estranged wife Patricia Paz, law dean Nilo Divina and his Divina law firm, Luzon Development Bank (LDB) “and other related parties”.
Patricia claimed in her recent affidavit that her estranged husband had money in banks, condominiums, and interest and shares in companies established overseas that the poll chief allegedly did not declare in his 2016 Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN), with a total estimated value of almost P1 billion.
Bautista has declared a P176.3 million total net worth in his 2016 SALN.
She also alleged that the Comelec chief had pay slips and checks received from Divina law firm “as commission for assisting the law firm clients with the Comelec”.
Patricia, likewise, claimed that Bautista had 35 passbook accounts at LDB with a total balance of P329,220,962.
Aside from the BIR, the National Bureau of Investigation is also conducting a case build-up for possible graft and violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Act against Bautista.
Aguirre added he received several documents indicating possible anomalies in the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) when Bautista was still chairman during the previous administration.
Thus, the DOJ chief said he has directed the PCGG to look into these reported anomalies.