Aksyon Demokratiko Chairman Ernest Ramel on Monday, March 7, wrote a letter to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to inquire if the written demands for the Marcos family to pay their tax liabilities amounting to P203.819 billion has been renewed.

In the letter addressed to BIR Commissioner Ceasar Dulay on March 7, Ramel wrote: “Former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. died on Sept. 29, 1989, almost 32 years ago. His heirs -widow Imelda, only son Ferdinand Jr. and daughters Imee and Irene did not file the estate tax return with the Bureau of Internal Revenue as required by law. Neither did they pay any estate tax.” Ramel said that the Marcos heirs ignored all the notices sent by the BIR.

“Marcos Jr. filed a petition before the Court of Appeals, which dismissed said petition on June 5,1999 on the ground that the estate tax assessment of BIR (amounting to P23,293,607,638) had already become final and unappealable The Supreme Court would later affirm the Court of Appeals decision,” he wrote.

The Aksyon Demokratiko chair said that Dulay must “renew written demands on the Marcos heirs to pay these tax liabilities once every five years, otherwise they prescribe and become uncollectable.” He noted that administrations under former presidents Fidel V. Ramos, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and Benigno Aquino III have faithfully issued such written demands.

“As Chairman of the Aksyon Demokratiko, the political party of Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso, I would like to inquire if the BIR under the Duterte administration has done the same,” Ramel said.

Ramel also pointed out that the “aggregate amount of P203.819 billion which the Marcos heirs owe the Philippine government is such a big amount that Mayor Isko, if elected president, promised to give as “ayuda” to millions of Filipinos who lost their jobs during the pandemic.” “On behalf of all taxpayers and citizens of the Philippines, I would like to seek a reply to the simple question: Did the BIR under your watch sent a new written demand to the Marcos heirs regarding the P203 Billion which they owe the Filipino people,” Ramel’s letter concluded.

Ramel had earlier dared former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong Marcos” to directly answer the public about the P200-B Marcos estate tax debt.

“Ang pag-iwas sa pagbabayad ng obligasyon na nararapat bayarang buwis mula sa ‘estate tax’ na ipinag-utos na mismo ng Korte Suprema ay pagpapakita ng abuso sa kapangyarihan, pagbalewala sa mga batas na ipinapatupad ng ating pamahalaan at kawalan ng respeto sa mga mamamayan na nagbabayad ng takdang buwis na ipinapataw sa kanila (Evading your obligation to pay estate tax as ordered by the Supreme Court is a demonstration of abuse of power, disregard for the laws implemented by our government and lack of respect to the people who pay their taxes),” Ramel said.

Read more: Aksyon Demokratiko dares Marcos to directly answer P200-B estate tax debt, other issues