Discrepancies found in Sereno’s tax declarations

The House committee on justice has directed the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to release its findings on its investigation into the tax filings of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

According to BIR Deputy Commissioner Arnel Guballa, discrepancies have been noted in the tax declarations of the Chief Justice.

Guballa, however, said the BIR’s findings could not be released to the committee on justice without the approval of the Office of the President. Otherwise, they would be violating the law.

“We have made observations, findings on the declarations of the chief justice but as of the moment, we are still waiting for the approval of the Office of the President wherein we are barred by Section 270 of the Tax Code,” Guballa said.

Section 270 of the Tax Code prohibits the BIR from divulging any information as to the business and transactions of a taxpayer.

The House committee is conducting impeachment proceedings against Sereno based on a complaint filed by lawyer Lorenzo Gadon.

Quezon City Representative Vincent Crisologo said Guballa should release the BIR’s findings.

He said it is not unlawful as the documents will be used in the impeachment hearing.

“This is not an unlawful revelation because this is an impeachment hearing. It cannot be unlawful. What prevents you from giving those data is if it is unlawful. But this is not unlawful,” he said.

Guballa, however, said they can only release their findings if there is a waiver from Sereno or an order from a court.

Guballa said they will seek an approval from the Office of the President and ask the Office of the Solicitor General for its opinion on how to interpret the tax code.

Last February 7, the justice committee instructed the BIR to look into the tax records of Sereno in relation to her supposed failure to declare her earnings worth US$745,000 or P30 million from the government in the case against the Philippine International Air Terminals Company Inc. (Piatco) in her SALN in 2013.

Meanwhile, two trial court judges belied Gadon’s allegations, saying they did not get any directive from Sereno against the issuance of an arrest warrant for detained Senator Leila de Lima.

Gadon had alleged that Sereno ordered the judges of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) not to issue a warrant of arrest against De Lima in connection with the drug-related charges filed against her by the Department of Justice (DOJ).