President Rodrigo Duterte during his Talk to the People sought answers from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on why they have failed to collect its estate tax. 

According to Duterte, there was no need for a reminder from the administration and should directly ask the BIR about the estate tax issue. 

“Hindi naman kailangan ng reminder sa Malacañang. Nandiyan ‘yung BIR, so tanungin natin ‘yang BIR bakit hanggang ngayon hindi nakolekta ‘yung estate.” Duterte emphasized.

Moreover, Acting Presidential Spokesperson Martin Andanar said that the president only reminded the public that paying for the estate tax applies to the public. The BIR, according to Andanar, should seize the people who are not paying their estate taxes as it will serve as additional funds to the government. 

“Dapat sa lahat ng ‘di nagbabayad ay habulin ng BIR sapagkat kailangan ng karagdagang pondo ang ating national government.” Andanar said. 

The Marcos camp already emphasized that the estate tax case of their presidential aspirant is still “pending in court”. 

However, the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) stated that the BIR already implemented the seizure of the Marcoses’ alleged property as early as 1993.  

The Supreme Court already issued a final and executory judgment, ordering Marcos to pay the P23 billion last March 1999 that went up to P203 billion because of the interests and penalties.

The BIR last December 2021 already sent a written demand to the Marcoses to settle their P203 billion estate tax liabilities. 

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