2 more sued for failing to pay estate taxes

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Thursday sued a Bulacan-based gold trader in the Department of Justice (DOJ) for allegedly failing to pay over P804 million in income taxes to the government from 2005 to 2008.

Charged with multiple counts of violation of the National Internal Revenue Code was Virgilio Ipapo Ocampo, a resident of 19 Eugenio Street, Parada, Meycauayan, Bulacan.

Speaking in a news conference, Revenue commissioner Kim Henares said Ocampo sold refined gold to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas worth about P1.21 billion from 2005 to 2008.

“Despite receiving taxable income from his gold transactions with the BSP, Ocampo failed to file his quarterly and annual income tax returns during the period in question,” Henares said.

She said Ocampo owed the government P101.64 million in 2005, P218.23 million in 2006, P244.72 million in 2007 and P239.83 million in 2008.

In two separate cases, the BIR also charged a certain Juan Miguel Ongsiako and the heirs of one Gavino Vinluan for their failure to pay estate taxes to the government for the properties they inherited from their deceased parents in Pasay City and Pangasinan, respectively.