Despite TRO, BIR to pursue tax case vs Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines — Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Kim Henares is convinced the agency's tax case against champion boxer Manny Pacquiao is worth pursuing despite the Supreme Court's temporary restraining order.

Henares said in a dzMM interview Thursday that the case on the fighting congressman's alleged P2-billion tax liability will push through even if it faces delay.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court halted the Court of Tax Appeal's order requiring Pacquiao and his wife, Jinkee, to post a P3.3-billion cash bond or a P4.9 billion surety bond for tax liabilities in 2008 and 2009.

The high court also stopped the appellate tax court and the BIR from executing and implementing garnishment orders and tax lien on Pacquiao.

Related: Supreme Court stops BIR's tax case vs Pacquiao

Henares said, however, that BIR is still waiting for the copy of the Supreme Court's Third Division order, from which the agency will file a motion for reconsideration.

She also insisted that the BIR has not collected any amount from Pacquiao since the tax case was filed in 2013.

Pacquiao's camp had said in its appeal to the Supreme Court that the bond requirement was an "impossible condition given that their undisputed worth is only P1,185,984,697."

His lawyers also accused the Court of Tax Appeals of committing a grave abuse of discretion in setting a 30-day deadline for the bond posting.