BIR Commissioner Henares Claimed Only P1.1 Million Garnished from Pacquiao

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Kim Henares said on Tuesday, November 26, 2013, that there are only two bank accounts of Manny Pacquiao were garnished in relation to his P2.2 billion tax case.

BIR Commissioner Kim Henares (Photo: Inquirer)

According to Commissioner Henares, when the BIR issued a warrant of garnishment on Pacquiao’s bank accounts, only two banks responded. She stated that the 2 accounts have P300,000 and P800,000 or a total of P1.1 million.

Henares also commented that there’s a possibility that Manny Pacquiao withdrew his money before the warrant of distraint and levy was issued in July or his money is deposited in offshore accounts.

Manny Pacquiao on his part denied the statement made by Henares that only two banks were issued warrants of garnishments by the BIR. Pacquiao was quoted as saying, “Hindi po dalawang bangko. Marami, marami. Pati yung HSBC, biro mo. BDO, Metrobank, Chinabank, apat na iyan. Paano magigiging dalawa lang? Sila ang tumawag mismo. Mga bangko ang tumawag mismo. Sinisingil tayo ng P2.2-billion above (–foul word(s) removed–)ets and liability,” he said.

The Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao also stated that even his wife’s accounts were also frozen. According to Pacquiao they have already gave copies of his tax records in the US to the BIR.

Manny Pacquiao’s lawyer Remegio Rojas said that all of his client’s accounts in other banks were frozen because of the notice of garnishment. Atty. Rojas confirmed also that some of Pacquiao’s friends have voluntarily lent him money to keep him afloat.

Commissioner Henares said that BIR has been asking Manny Pacquiao since the year 2010 to provide them a copy of his tax return filed before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the US. Henares denied the issue that they singled out Pacquiao, she noted that the BIR has been lenient in serving penalties to give way to his boxing matches.