MANILA, Philippines ? The Court of Tax Appeals has ordered the arrest of singer Claire dela Fuente for her bus company's failure to pay some P417.8 million in taxes from 1997 to 2004.
The court was acting on a case filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), which hailed the issuance of the arrest warrant as a good sign for its ?re-invigorated? Run After Tax Evaders campaign.
In a one-page resolution dated March 10, 2010, the court said that after perusal of documents from state prosecutors and finding that the filing of the case ?bears the written approval of then (Revenue) Commissioner Jose Mario C. Buñag, this court finds that probable cause exists for the issuance of a warrant of arrest against? Dela Fuente.
The court set bail at P20,000 for the singer and show business talent manager.
Reached for comment, Dela Fuente declined to give any because the case was pending in court.
Dela Fuente, whose real name is Clarita de Guzman, is vice president and treasurer of the Philippine Corinthian Liner Corp. (PCLC) which operates 237 buses mostly plying the Alabang-Baclaran-Monumento route.
Deputy Revenue Commissioner Gregorio V. Cabantac said the case against Dela Fuente was part of the intensified campaign against tax evaders in line with the agency's "Enhanced RATE Program."
Earlier this week, the BIR re-launched the program as part of efforts to meet the 2010 collection target of P830 billion.
Cabantac said BIR investigation revealed that the bus firm failed to file income and percentage taxes, declare its actual income and pay the corresponding taxes, and register her business with the BIR from 1997 to 2004.
?Further investigation revealed that the company failed to pay the proper taxes from 2002 to 2004 based on the company?s statements of income as submitted to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board,? Cabantac said.
He said that in 2009, the RATE program accomplished four major convictions on tax evasion. One was the P6-million case against Forever Living Products distributor Gloria Kintanar and another was the conviction of Ma. Lourdes De Guzman, notoriously known as the ?Pajero Lady.?
The court also found Angelito Reyes and Efren del Rosario of Ardent International Products, Inc. guilty of tax evasion amounting to more than P7 million.
Further, money lender Vidal Pelagio of RAP Lending Investor which is based in Dumaguete City was found guilty of 17 counts of violation of the law and was fined P340,000 and will spend time in jail.
