00:00Income tax evasion is a felony or serious crime, especially when one's arrears run and the millions or billions owed to government.
00:07The latest of whom are vape product merchants who have been gravely remiss in paying their dues to the government.
00:12Our Christian Bascones tells us more on BIR top guy Romeo Lumaghi Jr.
00:17taking legal action against derelict vape business owners who've decided not to pay what they owe government.
00:23The Bureau of Internal Revenue or BIR led by Commissioner Romeo Lumaghi Jr.
00:30has filed criminal charges against illegal vape businesses under the brand names Flaba, Denkat, and Flare
00:37for allegedly invading taxes amounting to more than 8 billion pesos.
00:41The Department of Justice filed the charges earlier today.
00:44According to the BIR, these large-scale illegal vape businesses failed to pay the required taxes,
00:50prompting the agency to take legal action.
00:52Hindi ito ang huling pagsampahan natin ng kaso.
00:55Kaya rin na ang importers, distributors, inuna natin ito dahil gusto natin ipakita na
01:01lahat ng mga malalaking players ay sasampahan natin ng kaso.
01:05The criminal charges include unlawful possession of vape products without payment of excess tax under Section 263,
01:12tax evasion under Section 254, and failure to file excess tax returns under Section 255
01:18of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.
01:21As amended, the BIR emphasized that the recovery of deficiency excess taxes and penalties which have not been paid by the illegal vape traders
01:30and amount to nearly 9 billion pesos are included in the criminal charges filed.
01:34Commissioner Lumaghi strongly reminded all individuals who wish to enter the vape industry
01:39to register with the BIR and pay the proper taxes.
01:42He emphasized that the agency will not hesitate to file cases against tax cheats or evaders
01:48who violate tax laws regardless of the size of their business.
01:52Nag-sampa tayo ng kaso laban sa mga malalaking importers at distributor ng vape products.
01:58Ito nga yung naimbestigahan na rin ng Kongreso, yung Flava, Flair at yung Denkat.
02:05Ang halaga ng vape products at yung excise tax na hindi nabayaran dito ay humigit kumulang
02:11nasa mga 8.7 billion pesos.
02:14Ganito po kalaki itong sinampahan natin na kaso ngayong araw na ito.
02:18Christian Bascones from the National TV Network for a new and better Philippines.
