The Bureau of Internal Revenue said Thursday it filed five separate criminal complaints with the Justice Department against gold trader Angelito Ocampo dela Peña for his alleged failure to pay taxes amounting to P1.7 billion from 2005 to 2009.
Dela Peña is engaged in the business of buying and selling gold exclusively to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and is registered with BIR Revenue District Office No. 24-Valenzuela City.
BIR said it was suing Dela Peña for a total deficiency tax liability of P1.732 billion from 2005 to 2009.
BIR said Caloocan City records of investigation showed that an access letter was sent to BSP requesting for a certification of the transactions made by the respondent for taxable years 2005 to 2009. BSP replied by issuing a certification showing that dela Peña made transactions with the BSP during the five-year period.
“The respondent’s obstinate failure and continued refusal to pay his long overdue deficiency taxes, despite repeated demands, constitute willful failure to pay the taxes due to the government,” it said.
BIR said the cases against dela Peña were the 140th to 144th filed under the Run After Tax Evaders program under the leadership of BIR commissioner Caesar Dulay.