DAGUPAN CITY -- The Revenue District Office 4 (RDO4) was able to collect P600,000 campaign tax from local candidates who ran in the May 2010 elections.
RDO4 chief Yolanda Ferrer said the collection is as of last month (July). As to the list of candidates who were not able to remit, she said they will try to get it from the municipal and city election offices in the Pangasinan.
Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Assistant Regional Director Ernesto de Vota admitted that it is really hard to implement this taxation law.
“Karamihan naman sa mga ginagamit nila hindi yong gastos na may resibo. Karamihan ng gastos nila (candidates) walang tax yon. Alam naman natin na yong iba namimili ng boto, hindi naman natin puwedeng i-tax yon,” he said.
RDO1-Laoag City got the biggest campaign tax collection.
“They had a senatorial candidate (Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.), Governor Imee Marcos and their mother Representative Imelda Marcos. In fairness, malaki ang ibinayad nila sa campaign tax,” De Vota stated. He did not mention though how much was the total amount collected from the Marcoses.
Meanwhile, the BIR officials are urging the citizenry to report tax evaders.
Speaking at the Engkwentro forum of the Pangasinan Press Club, De Vota assured would be informants of the confidentiality of their report.
De Vota said that with the help of the citizenry and the determination of the government to prosecute alleged tax evaders, the bureau would be able to meet its collection goals.
He described a tax evader as one who willfully intends not to pay the right amount of taxes by not declaring his actual sales or overstating his expenses.
De Vota clarified however that reports through text messages is not acceptable. One has to personally appear at a specific department at the BIR and execute an affidavit. He also has to present documents to prove his claim against the alleged tax evader.
“Di kayo makikilala. Kung gusto nyo magreport kayo doon sa Manila, huwag na lang dito sa Calasiao baka may makakilala pa sa inyo.”
The BIR is implementing the Run After Tax Evaders (RATE) program and the Oplan Kandado campaign. These are measures that help jolt taxpayers to pay their obligations.
“Kung di mo sila isara o sampahan ng kaso at mag-ingay ka lang, hindi sila kikilos. Parang sa traffic yan, manghuli ka ng violators titino yang mga drivers,” he said when asked why government resort to such drastic actions.