Gov’t urged not to go into a compromise deal with Mighty

The government has been urged to drop a planned compromise deal with local cigarette manufacturer Mighty Corporation over tax evasion cases it is facing amounting to P36.494 billion.

Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) founding chairman Dante Jimenez made the call as he pointed out the firm should be made to pay its tax liabilities in full.

“We in the VACC believe that whatever the assessed amount of tax liability is, it should be collected in full,” Jimenez stressed.

“There should be no compromise when it comes to tax collections because our government needs money now more than ever,” he added.

President Duterte previously offered to drop the tax cases against Mighty Corporation in exchange with the full payment of P3 billion.

However, Jimenez said he finds the amount unacceptable compared to the total tax liabilities the company owes the government.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) two tax evasion complaints against Mighty Corporation in the amounts of P9.564 billion and P26.93 billion.

If the government wants to get its hand on the amount the firm owes, the VACC chair suggested permitting Mighty Corporation to pay in installments over a reasonable period of time.