People's Champ Manny Pacquiao admitted on Tuesday that the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) has recently issued a freeze order on his bank accounts and properties due to a tax evasion case filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
![Pacquiao bank accounts frozen over tax case]( "Pacquiao bank accounts frozen over tax case")
Pacquiao, in a press briefing, said the BIR had previously slapped him with a P2.2-billion tax case, but he said he's appealing to them to lift the order.
“Ako po ay nakikiusap sa BIR na alisin ang garnishment sa aking mga bank account and properties dahil hindi ko naman tatalikuran ang aking responsibilidad bilang isang mamamayan (I am appealing to the BIR to release the frozen bank accounts and properties. I am a good citizen and shall not turn away from my responsibilities.),” said Pacquiao, who is coming off a morale-boosting victory over Brandon Rios last Sunday.
“Huwag naman akong i-single out dahil hindi naman ako magnanakaw. Ako ang tao na ayaw na ayaw sa mga magnanakaw (I hope they're not "singling-me-out because I am not a thief. I don't like thieves.),” he stressed.
The CTA released its ruling on Pacquiao’s tax case two weeks before the boxing superstar’s bout in Macau.
The order has caused a huge financial inconvenience for the boxer, who earned his millions by risking his life in the boxing ring.
Pacquiao also noted that there are people whose livelihood depends on his businesses who will also suffer because of the CTA order.
“Hindi ako makagalaw. Ano ba ang hanapbuhay ko? Hindi naman ako magnanakaw na may ibang source (I have no resources, don't they know what I do for a living? I am not a thief who has other sources)," he said. "Naapektuhan din tuloy ang ibang business namin, mga trabahante namin, mahirapan silang magsweldo (My businesses are already affected, I have to pay my employees.),” he said.
The case stemmed from the supposed failure of Pacquiao’s accountant to report in his income tax returns (ITR) the millions of dollars in taxes that he paid in the US in relation to his fight purses from 2008 to 2009.
Pacquiao also hinted that politics was behind the case, citing that he has already tried to address is tax woes.
“Ang problema lang ay naghahanap sila ng papel na nagbayad ako ng tax sa America (They're looking for my tax documents paid in US.),” the boxer explained. “Paanong magagawa e hindi nila ino-honor 'yung binigay na kopya ng IRS na nagbayad kami? Kaya nagkabuhol-buhol [ang kaso] (But they're not honoring the IRS documents I gave them. This case is getting worse.).”
“Sana po ay kalimutan natin ang pamumulitika at magtulungan tayong lahat. 'Yan ang problema sa ating bansa. Kahit walang eleksyon, puro pulitika ang nasa isip (I hope they forget all the politicking. That's the problem of our country. Always politics, even when it's not election season.),” he added.
The boxer, however, did not mention who was after him.
Pacquiao and his wife appealed the case last August by filing a petition through their lawyers before the CTA.
Based on the petition, the boxing champ wanted to stop the BIR from collecting the P2.2 billion in supposed tax deficiencies.--Source: ABS-CBN News
Pacquiao, in a press briefing, said the BIR had previously slapped him with a P2.2-billion tax case, but he said he's appealing to them to lift the order.
“Ako po ay nakikiusap sa BIR na alisin ang garnishment sa aking mga bank account and properties dahil hindi ko naman tatalikuran ang aking responsibilidad bilang isang mamamayan (I am appealing to the BIR to release the frozen bank accounts and properties. I am a good citizen and shall not turn away from my responsibilities.),” said Pacquiao, who is coming off a morale-boosting victory over Brandon Rios last Sunday.
“Huwag naman akong i-single out dahil hindi naman ako magnanakaw. Ako ang tao na ayaw na ayaw sa mga magnanakaw (I hope they're not "singling-me-out because I am not a thief. I don't like thieves.),” he stressed.
The CTA released its ruling on Pacquiao’s tax case two weeks before the boxing superstar’s bout in Macau.
The order has caused a huge financial inconvenience for the boxer, who earned his millions by risking his life in the boxing ring.
Pacquiao also noted that there are people whose livelihood depends on his businesses who will also suffer because of the CTA order.
“Hindi ako makagalaw. Ano ba ang hanapbuhay ko? Hindi naman ako magnanakaw na may ibang source (I have no resources, don't they know what I do for a living? I am not a thief who has other sources)," he said. "Naapektuhan din tuloy ang ibang business namin, mga trabahante namin, mahirapan silang magsweldo (My businesses are already affected, I have to pay my employees.),” he said.
The case stemmed from the supposed failure of Pacquiao’s accountant to report in his income tax returns (ITR) the millions of dollars in taxes that he paid in the US in relation to his fight purses from 2008 to 2009.
Pacquiao also hinted that politics was behind the case, citing that he has already tried to address is tax woes.
“Ang problema lang ay naghahanap sila ng papel na nagbayad ako ng tax sa America (They're looking for my tax documents paid in US.),” the boxer explained. “Paanong magagawa e hindi nila ino-honor 'yung binigay na kopya ng IRS na nagbayad kami? Kaya nagkabuhol-buhol [ang kaso] (But they're not honoring the IRS documents I gave them. This case is getting worse.).”
“Sana po ay kalimutan natin ang pamumulitika at magtulungan tayong lahat. 'Yan ang problema sa ating bansa. Kahit walang eleksyon, puro pulitika ang nasa isip (I hope they forget all the politicking. That's the problem of our country. Always politics, even when it's not election season.),” he added.
The boxer, however, did not mention who was after him.
Pacquiao and his wife appealed the case last August by filing a petition through their lawyers before the CTA.
Based on the petition, the boxing champ wanted to stop the BIR from collecting the P2.2 billion in supposed tax deficiencies.--Source: ABS-CBN News