Statement of Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima:
On the Run After Tax Evaders cases filed on April 7, 2011, including the case filed against Representative Juan Mike Miguel Arroyo and his wife Ma. Angela
[Released on April 7, 2011]
The cases that we filed today are testaments to the Aquino administration’s continued drive against tax cheats who think that they are above the law. The ways of the past are over. Let me repeat for those who still believe otherwise—it is no longer business as usual. The Aquino government is determined to send to jail all tax evaders and smugglers that rob the Filipino people of their much needed government revenues.
Already, we are seeing the fruits of our drive against tax evaders and smugglers. For the first two months of 2011, BIR and Customs collections were up 10.7 percent and 9.7 percent, respectively. This helped the government maintain a fiscal deficit of only P8.1 billion from January to February, which was actually way below the P52.3-billion programmed for the period. It was also much lower than the P70.3 billion posted the same period last year.
We want to continue these gains throughout the year and throughout the rest of the Aquino administration. To be able to do this, we in government would also like to seek the help of the general public, starting with reminding you of your responsibility to file your income tax returns. The deadline is on April 15, Friday next week. We urge you to pay the correct income tax to the government, and to pay early so you can avoid the long lines.
Also, we encourage you to go to www.perangbayan.com and report to us any tax evader, smuggler or corrupt BIR and Customs personnel in your community. The fight against corruption is everybody’s fight.
Again, we are calling on every Filipino to do their civic duty to report to Government each centavo of their income and to pay their corresponding duties because by doing so, you are doing your part for the change we all want for our country. You can expect that under the leadership of President Aquino, each and every centavo that you will report to the government will be used in programs that will uplift the life of every Filipino.
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