The fighting congressman and Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao stated that he was virtually knocked out by tax authorities who froze all his bank accounts over a P2.2-billion case. He may won remarkably on his comeback fight against Brandon Rios but not with the government.
Watch the video of Manny Pacquiao’s Press Briefing in GenSan:
Manny Pacquiao rushed home after his successful conquest of Brandon Rios in Macau because he wanted to help in the relief operations in typhoon-Yolanda devastated areas in the Visayas but a day after his return, he was stunned to learn his accounts had been frozen.
On Tuesday, November 26, 2013, he asked the Bureau of Internal Revenue to reconsider what he described as an arbitrary order. The 34-year-old Pacquiao confirmed to the media that he could not even help in the relief efforts for Yoland victims as a result of the freezing of his accounts.
Pacquiao was quoted as saying, “Hindi ako makapag-withdraw ni isang singkong sentimo sa sarili kong pera, hindi ko magamit para makatulong.” (I cannot withdraw even a single centavo of my own money. I cannot use it even to help.)
“Bago ma-garnish, di ako naka-receive kahit isang sulat o warning” (Before the garnishment, I did not receive a single letter or warning) from tax authorities, Pacquiao said in a hastily called news conference in General Santos City.
Manny Pacquiao added further that “I don’t know why I am being singled out,” he said. “The BIR claims I earned more than what I actually did, without any evidence to back it up.”
Pacquiao also answered a query on how he felt about being stripped of all his assets after allowing himself to be “beaten up” to uplift the Filipino spirit, Pacquiao said: “Nagpabugbog ako, kumita ako, kinuha ng gobyerno. Pero pag nagnakaw ka – wala pa akong nakitang nagnakaw ng marami, pero na-garnish lahat ng pera.” (I got a beating, earned some, and government took it. But steal something… I have yet to see anybody who’s stolen a lot and gotten the same garnishment.)
Manny Pacquiao explained further: “Ang pera kong ginarnish ng BIR ay hindi po nakaw at hindi po PDAF o DAP. Ito po ay galing sa lahat ng suntok, bugbog, pawis at dugo na tiniis ko sa boxing.” (The money garnished by the BIR was not stolen and did not come from PDAF or DAP. This came from all the hits, beatings, the blood and sweat I sacrificed via boxing.)
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