Ong Kin King Inc. pays tax, reopens

BACK IN BUSINESS. The Ong Kin King & Co. store on Plaridel St., Cebu City reopens after it paid substantial tax that government thinks is rationable. (SunStar photo/Amper Campaña)
BACK IN BUSINESS. The Ong Kin King & Co. store on Plaridel St., Cebu City reopens after it paid substantial tax that government thinks is rationable. (SunStar photo/Amper Campaña)

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has allowed the reopening of business establishments owned by Ong Kin King Inc. after it paid a substantial amount of taxes that government found reasonable.

Ong Kin King’s business firms in Cebu City, such as its grocery store in Gonzales St.; Harrison Park in Osmeña Blvd. and Lahug; food depot at the Port Area; Harrison Park in Mandaue City; and a grocery store near Cebu City Hall, were all closed for tampering the Point of Sales (POS) machines.

BIR 13 Director Eduardo Pagulayan Jr. said the opening of the business firms under Ong Kin King is not the end of the cases against it, which is ongoing pending the letter of authority from him.

“As to the criminal aspect, like the use of unregistered POS, which has been filed in court, that will continue. The closure of the business was only an administrative remedy of the BIR. The civil aspect is based on the letter of authority, and we want to know the correct income of Ong Kin King and Value-Added Tax (VAT),” Pagulayan said.

Ong Kin King Inc., owned by philanthropist Frederick Ong, was accused by BIR 13 of using POS machines that were not registered by the government agency.

Pagulayan said Ong Kin King may subject their books on all purchases or their bank accounts for BIR 13 to determine the correct taxes.

When interviewed, Ong told SunStar Cebu that Ong Kin King has been paying taxes, and is willing to follow all government rules and regulations on taxation.

Meanwhile, Ong Kin King employee Gretchen Bagabuyo, 21, felt happy that they were able to report to work again after a month of hiatus.

Bagabuyo, a store attendant at the Ong Kin King & Co. Inc. in Plaridel St., said that despite the temporary closure of the store, they were still able to get their full salary even without reporting to work.

“During the closure, the owner explained to us that the closure will just be temporary and we will go back to work once the issue will be settled, and they did not stop paying us,” she told SunStar Cebu.

Bagabuyo said that while the store was closed, some of her co-employees found another job, but eventually went back to Ong Kin King when the owners announced the reopening.

“I am just a three-month-old store attendant, but I really like to work here because the management is okay,” Bagabuyo said.

Verdict Zapanta, a store customer, said he is also glad that Ong Kin King was able to reopen for business.

Zapanta, who visited the store yesterday, said he was not aware that the store was ordered to close for several weeks.

“It’s good that they’re now open because this store is highly recommended when it comes to buying baking products. That’s why I’m here,” he said. (EOB, RVC)

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