By Dave Albarado
TAGBILARAN CITY – Two hotel resorts in Panglao were ordered closed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Tuesday for not paying tax debts.
BIR Regional Director Eduardo Pagulayan led the team in closing down Alona Kew White Beach Hotel and Bellevue Resort.
Pagulayan said the BIR had sent notices to the establishments to comply with the violations.
The regional director said aside from Alona Kew resort, the restaurant and the van for hire business affiliated with the resort were also ordered closed.
Pagulayan said that the closure orders are administrative in nature and will be lifted immediately once payment is made to the BIR.
Bellevue’s manager Rommel Gonzalez said the hotel resort’s management settled its debt Tuesday.
He said that he was advised by the financial department that the payment has been transmitted to the BIR.
In a statement, Alona Kew legal counsel Neil Ochoco admitted the tax debt and said management settled with BIR also on Tuesday.
Pagulayan said that the orders should serve as a warning to other establishments to pay their taxes and help in nation building and development.