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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Duterte admin to go after Pharmally if it didn't pay the right taxes

Duterte admin to go after Pharmally if it didn't pay the right taxes

Published Oct 29, 2021 06:21 pm

The Duterte administration will go after Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. if it has indeed cheated the government of the taxes it should pay.

President Rodrigo Duterte (Malacañang photo)



Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque gave this guarantee during a virtual press conference Friday, Oct. 29, with Malacañang reporters.

Pharmally was awarded with pandemic response contracts worth nearly P8.68 billion in 2020, or when the dreaded coronavirus disease (COVID-19) first emerged in the Philippines.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has been investigating Pharmally for its role in the government's alleged procurement of overpriced COVID-19 supplies. Although the Palace has repeatedly insisted that there was no overpriced purchase and that the bidding of the goods was above-board, failure to pay the proper taxes is something that the administration won't let slide.

"Huwag po kayong mag-alala, hindi po natutulog sa pansitan ang ating BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue). Kung talagang may kulang pong taxes, hahabulin po natin ‘yan (Don't worry, our BIR isn't negligent. If there are really unpaid taxes, we will go after it). And that is guaranteed," Roque said.

"Kung talagang hindi sila nagbayad ng buwis, kinakailangan habulin ‘no at hindi pa naman covered iyan, ‘yung tinatawag na prescriptive period ‘no (If they really didn't pay taxes, we need to go after it since that is not yet covered by the prescriptive period)," the Palace mouthpiece said, referring to Pharmally.

"So ang sa akin po ang unang issue, overprice – wala! Ang susunod na issue – May paglabag ba ng bidding rules? Wala, dahil sa batas na iyan (So for me, as to the first issue on overpricing--there is none! As to the next issues--was there a violation of bidding rules? There is also none because it was based on law).

"Pero ngayon ibang issue ang nilalabas nila (But regarding this new issue on the) – non-payment of taxes. Ay naku po, siyempre po ang Ehekutibo ang mangunguna na mangolekta ng taxes kung talagang kinakailangang kolektahin iyan dahil kinakailangan natin ng pondo sa panahon ng pandemya (Of course, the Executive will lead in the collection of taxes if there really is a need to collect them since we need funds in this time of the pandemic)," Roque said.

President Duterte, in one of his late-night public briefings last month, told the Blue Ribbon panel that it can "run over" Pharmally in its seemingly endless investigation for all he cares.

Related Tags

non-payment purchase President Duterte Harry Roque procurement overpricing BIR overpriced covid-19 pay 102921 go after supplies Pharmally taxes
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