Tax court stops BIR from collecting Pacquiao couple’s alleged P3.3-billion tax deficiency while case is pending

(Eagle News)– The Court of Tax Appeals has lifted the seizure orders issued by the Bureau of Internal Revenue then-headed by Kim Henares on the assets of Senator Manny Pacquiao.

The First Division also ordered the BIR to refrain from collecting the over P3 billion in supposedly underpaid taxes  for 2008 and 2009 from Pacquiao and his wife, Jinkee—the reason for the seizure orders—while the civil case was ongoing.

According to the division, Pacquiao was not required to pay a surety bond for the tax collection efforts against them to be restrained.

This was because the BIR “utterly failed to comply with necessary requirements under pertinent laws and issuances” in assessing the Pacquiaos’ supposed liabilities.

“Clearly from the foregoing, respondents have not sufficiently shown that a (notice of informal conference) was validly served to petitioners or that an informal conference was conducted in the presence of petitioners or their authorized representative,” the resolution said.

A notice of informal conference essentially informs a taxpayer of his or her tax deficiencies.

The pre-trial conference was scheduled on Aug. 30.

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