Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. on Wednesday (Nov. 22) stressed the need for the allocation of confidential funds to finance operations against tax evaders.

Lumagui aired the appeal after he personally filed cases against companies involved in buying and selling fake or ghost receipts.

The BIR has requested P10 million in confidential funds for 2024. Lumagui said it will be used for fund surveillance operations and investigation on tax evaders and illicit traders, “Itong fake transactions or ghost receipts, makikita niyo ang tagal-tagal na nito. Decades na ang tinakbo ng kalakarang ito at ngayon lang nahuli. Marami ang kinakailangang surveillance dito, imbestigasyon,” Lumagui explained.

“Hindi lang naman sa ghost receipts ginagamit yan. Nag-iimbestiga rin tayo sa mabigat na mga sindikatong involved sa illicit trade— andyan ang sa mga sigarilyo, illicit na vape products, kung saan-saan yan.

Sindikato talaga ang involved dito at kung hindi natin bubuwagin ang mga sindikatong involved, ay talagang patuloy ang pagbagsak ng koleksyon dito sa excise tax,” he added.

On Wednesday, the BIR chief went to the Department of Justice to file criminal cases against 69 corporations, corporate offices, and accountants involved in the buying and selling of fake or ghost receipts.

An estimated P1.8 billion in total tax liabilities were linked to the identified alleged erring taxpayers.
“Rehistrado ang mga korporasyon na ito sa SEC, rehistrado din sa amin sa BIR. They’re going through the process ng registration at kumukuha ng resibo. Pero again, walang produktong binebenta ito, walang serbisyong binebenta. Ang talagang binebenta lang nila ay mga resibong ito,” explained Lumagui.