Taxman goes after big PNP supplier

The headquarters of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). AFP FILE PHOTO

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Thursday filed a criminal complaint at the Department of Justice against a supplier of food, office materials, and janitorial and transport services of the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for allegedly evading the payment of P335.5 million in taxes from 2010 to 2013.

Ma. Cristina Ventura, sole proprietor of MEBB Enterprise/BEMV Transport Service, based in Project 4, Quezon City, is accused of deliberate failure to file income tax returns, supply correct and accurate information and pay the value-added tax, according to lawyer Estela Sales, deputy commissioner for the BIR legal group.

An initial investigation by the BIR revealed that Ventura’s companies were engaged by the PNP and PDEA to supply office supplies and materials, food supplies, and janitorial and transportation services during the taxable years 2010 to 2013.

To determine the true and correct income of Ventura, the BIR sent access letters to the PNP and PDEA requesting certification of payments made to the businesswoman during the four-year period.

In its reply, the PNP certified that MEBB and BEMV received payments amounting to P102.77 million and P846.72 million. PDEA also issued a certification stating that it paid P60.85 million to MEBB and P38.74 million to BEMV for supplies and services rendered.

The BIR investigators alleged that Ventura declared in her VAT returns income of only P5.72 million in 2010, P6.73 million in 2011, P7.69 million in 2012, and P7.56 million in 2013. She also allegedly did not file returns in 2013.