‘THEY HAVE NOT PAID’: BIR collecting estate tax from Marcoses

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) continues to demand the Marcos family and their estate administrators to settle their outstanding estate taxes valued at P203 billion, according to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez.

“BIR is collecting and demanded payment from the Marcos Estate Administrators. They have not paid. BIR will continue to consolidate the titles in favor of the government on those properties which have been levied upon,” Dominguez said Wednesday.

The BIR, through Commissioner Caesar Dulay, made the confirmation after President Rodrigo Duterte reminded the agency to perform its mandate to collect taxes.

“The procedure may take time as it involves selling at public auction to convert to cash. Bottomline, Marcos does not take any steps to settle and pay because of pending litigation,” Dominguez added.

The camp of presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos  Jr. has repeatedly dismissed calls for his family to settle the tax liabilities and claimed the case is still pending in court. Vic Rodriguez, Marcos Jr.’s spokesperson, also said the case is “all about politics.”

The BIR earlier said it sent the Marcos family a written demand to settle their estate tax liabilities. It is now estimated to have increased to P203.819 billion, following penalties accumulated in the decades that the Marcoses failed to pay the debt.

Duterte had said the BIR should be asked why it had yet to collect a certain estate tax due. He didn’t name from whom the estate tax should be collected, while Malacañang amounts the President’s remark as just a “reminder” to the tax agency to act on its mandate and to collect taxes. | Sean Rafio