Garcias sued over taxes

CEBU, Philippines - Members of the Garcia family and two incumbent Provincial Board (PB) members are facing complaints for tax evasion and underpayment of taxes as well as non-disclosure of acquired assets before the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) - 7.

Grecilda "Gigi" Sanchez, daughter of the late vice governor Greg Sanchez and who is running for PB member, filed the complaint of tax evasion against Third District Representative Pablo John "PJ" Garcia, who is running for governor.

Sanchez said that Statements of Assets and Liabilities and Net Worth of  PJ in 2008, 2009 and 2010 reported a cash acquisition of a residential real property in barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City amounting to P900,000.00. But Sanchez said that real property appraisers conservatively estimated the property to be worth P60 million.

In PJ's 2011 SALN, Sanchez added that the said property was declared to be worth P10.4 million.

Aside from PJ, Sanchez also asked BIR Commissioner Kim Henares to investigate for "underpayment of taxes" against PJ's mother, Esperanza and sister, suspended Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, who is running for congresswoman in the Third District.

She also sued PJ's brothers, Byron, Winston, Nelson (mayor of Dumanjug town) and Marlon (Barili town vice mayor) for underpayment of taxes.

"Despite their limited income as declared in their respective Income Tax Returns, it is public knowledge that (the Garcias) are leading luxurious and extravagant lifestyles, thereby casting serious doubt on the veracity and truthfulness of their declarations," said Sanchez.

She also questioned PB Members Alex Binghay and Caesar Ian Zambo for "non-disclosure of acquired assets and non-payment of taxes".

BIR-7 Acting Director Hermini Palamini said that he will look into these complaints and will file necessary charges should they found out these meritorious.

But for PJ, the tax evasion case filed against him and 2 One Cebu candidates is just another form of political harassment by the opposition.

Garcia said that he would not have considered this as politically tainted if Sanchez sued only him. Since the two incumbent PB members who are seeking re-election were also included in the case, Garcia said politics is obviously the reason, given that it is just days before the election.

"Gibogo-an nalang siguro siya sa mga taw na dili maghuna-huna na dili ni politika?" (Is she taking the people as fools who would not know this is all about politics?)

Garcia said he will answer the charges filed against him once he is summoned by BIR. He showed yesterday the folder containing his tax payments over the years which he said is supposedly confidential. But he said he is willing to show it given that the LP gubernatorial candidate also shows records of his tax payments, especially in 2010 and 2011.

Last month, Garcia challenged Davide to explain why he only paid P16,000 of his income tax in 2010 and P25,000 in 2011.

Yesterday, Garcia stressed that Davide is paying even less than barangay councilors he knows, which he deems impossible since Davide owns a house, a car, a law firm and with children who are studying in reputable schools.

Davide earlier stated that Garcia should explain his Statements of Assets and Liabilities first before he questions his Income Tax Return.

With the tax evasion case, Garcia said that Davide is again asking someone to do it for him. "These allegations are practically a rehash of the lifestyle check filed by one of their stooges in the office of the ombudsman."

Garcia said that with this, he will also be filing a tax evasion case against Davide after the election. He said that this is clearly filed before the election in an attempt to disrupt his focus on the campaign which he said is not working.   (FREEMAN)