Negros Beat

Likewise, the Bureau shall give effect to and administer the supervisory and police powers conferred to it by this Code or other laws.

However, Section 270 of the same edict also says that BIR personnel cannot divulge i nformation collected from taxpayers concerning the latter’s business, income or estate, as well as the secrets, operation, style or work, or apparatus of any manufacturer or producer, or confidential information regarding the business of.

“Granting that MEG has tax deficiency,” local businessmen here maintained, “BIR must exhaust all friendliest means before jumping to a harshest move.”

BIR should not act like a “barumbado” (temperamental) against businesses, suggested by a Negros sugar planter.

WIN-WIN SOLUTION

Yes, the publication of any BIR move against any business – small or big – is of paramount importance for the public to know. It will somehow guide the taxpayers how the Bureau will treat their transactions and lead them to an intellectual interpretation of the current tax laws and regulations.

Too, it’ll provide taxpayers the right information how the BIR applies “teeth” on certain tax rules.

Moreover, the publication per se is aimed at eliminating graft and corruption at the BIR, which is also in consonance with that of President Duterte’s Executive Order No. 2 (dated July 23, 2016). Nice guide!

But i n the case of MEG, there’s no publication yet. BIR sending invites to the media for a presscon simultaneous with the closure order against MEG-BCG can be interpreted as an abrupt attempt. Thus, it tremendously “rocked” the business hamlet in the country.

Could it be considered a form of harassment against MEG? Hope not!

I still have trust on BIR that it could perform its duties and responsibilities within the tenets and moral bounds of the laws. After all, there’s nothing to lose if it’ll be “nicest” to the country’s businesses without losing its “fangs”.

The fact that MEG already vowed to cooperate with any tax audit is, perhaps, an indication leading to a win-win solution.

In an official statement, M E G s a i d , “T h e C o m p a ny continues to maintain its stance of full cooperation with the tax authorities in accordance with their mandate to collect badly needed revenues for the Government.”

Deciphering such, I can say, it means a lot for the government and the Filipinos who continue to trust on the integrity and credibility of Dr. Tan and his MEG.

In sum, a mega understanding is badly needed leading to a mega determination of possible solution(s) on the current row./