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Ni Estong Reyes
PINANGUNAHAN ni Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III ang pagsita sa P10 million confidential fund na hinihingi ng Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) sa 2024.
Sa ginanap na Senate plenary deliberations sa badyet ng Department of Finance’s sa 2024, ipinaliwanag ni BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. na kailangan ng ahensiya ang confidential fund para sa operations laban sa tax evaders at illicit traders.
“We need it because, as you’ve seen in the past, when I was appointed, that we have a lot of operations against illicit trades. We had operations against a big syndicate involved in ghost receipts, and we do a lot of surveillance. And it is very helpful for us in order for us to really catch these big fish, so to speak. We have been raiding big tax evaders,” ayon kay Lumagui.
Pero, sinabi ni Pimentel na mayroon nang “Run After Tax Evaders Program,” sa badyet ng BIR ba maaring suriin ng Commission on Audit (COA).
“Can you justify, confidential funds kailangan mo to run after big tax evaders eh meron ka nang program na ganon eh, ‘di ba? You can fund it under your programmed appropriations,” giit ng minority leader.
Ayon kay Lumagui ginagamit ng BIR ang confidential funds para sa “Run After Tax Evaders” Program.
“All the investigations, all those work come from that (confidential funds),” ayon sa BIR chief.
Sinabi ni Pimentel na dapat palaging gawin ang programa upang mabigyan ng pondo na mahusay at tamang matutuos.
“Program na s’ya. Regular program na dapat ng BIR yon and then nasa regular appropriations with COA regular audit,” ayon kay Pimentel.
Binanggit din ni Pimentel ang Revenue Administration Program, ng BIR na may alokasyon na P277.8 million.
“Pwede niyong gamitin sa tax fraud investigations and intelligence operations. It’s a big amount. Just take a look at it. Baka kasi paulit-ulit na tayo,” ayon kay Pimentel.
“Although your amount is reasonable, ang point ko kasi is a policy question na: Should you really be entitled to it?” tanong ni Pimentel. Kinukuwestiyon ni PImen tel ang alokasyon ng confidential and intelligence funds sa civilian agencies na walang law enforcement mandate.
