Luxury car importer charged with tax evasion

An importer of luxury sports utility vehicles (SUVs) was charged with tax evasion by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) before the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday.
In a press conference, BIR Commissioner Kim S. Jacinto-Henares said they charged Jonamie Ronato Publico for willful attempt to evade or defeat tax and deliberate failure to file his income tax returns (ITRs) for taxable years 2012 and 2013, all in violation of Sections 254 and 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.
Publico is the sole proprietor of ADELC Trading with business address on Chino Roces Ave., Makati City.
He is engaged in the business of importation of luxury SUVs from the United Arab Emirates. He is registered in the BIR and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) whose indicated addresses in both offices cannot be located.
Henares said that in the letter sent by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to the BIR, it said that ADELC Trading made total importations of Php654.32 million in 2012 and Php163.76 million in 2013.
However, BIR Revenue District Office No. 49-North Makati City certified that Publico has not filed any ITR, quarterly value added tax returns, nor percentage tax returns.
As a result of his acts and omissions, Henares said, Publico was assessed an estimated income tax liability in the sum of Php532.9 million, inclusive of surcharges and interest, such as Php434.67 million in 2012 and Php98.23 million in 2013. (PNA)