BIR to police taxation in Negros; AVAT on refine sugar continues

BACOLOD CITY, Oct. 3 - There is a door-to-door monitoring of taxpayers account being conducted by the Bureau of Internal and Revenue (BIR) District 12 office in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental province.


Aside from persistently probing sugar cooperatives, the BIR at random is also digging into other tax irregularities as it is seriously acting to police taxation effort in Negros.

OIC-BIR director Rodita Galanto had said over DYRL's Mercado Publico Program that she is serious in her cause of implementing transparency in government by imposing the law without hurting anyone.

"Because it's a law it is my job," she said.

Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Gov. Isidro Zayco said that the imposition of advance Value Added Tax (AVAT) on refine sugar by the BIR continues despite the complaints raised by the sugar industry, stakeholders and leaders.

"The President had told the sugar leaders of this," Zayco said.

He also said that Sugar Regulatory Administrator (SRA) Rafael Coscolluela together with Nene Trebol of CONFED met the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of Finance (DOF) officials Thursday to "work out conditions" on the whirling sugarcane woes of the sugar cooperatives and planters and the entire sugar industry.

Zayco said the President is rather pushing for a fertilizer subsidy.

"The President has already been briefed that there is a pending case before a local court questioning the legality of the imposition of advance VAT on refine sugar by the sugar cooperatives," he noted.

Further, Coscolluela said that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was adamant in giving in to the request of sugar cooperatives against the imposition of advance VAT. (PNA)