Doc faces tax raps

MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Thursday filed before the Department of Justice a P25-million tax evasion suit against a cardiologist who allegedly failed to file accurate income and value-added tax (VAT) returns between 2006 and 2013.

The BIR said Dr. Benedict Lazatin, an interventional cardiologist of St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC), Quezon City, also failed to register as a VAT taxpayer. He was charged with violating Sections 254 and 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code.

The revenue agency said it sent access letters to SLMC, St. Luke’s College of Medicine and Maxicare Health Corp. to determine Lazatin’s true and correct income. The BIR said the income payment certifications it obtained showed the doctor declared no income for taxable years 2006 to 2012 and that he declared income amounting to only P1.2 million for 2013. Jerome Aning