The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) confirmed to the camp of presidential candidate and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso that it has sent a written demand to the Marcos heirs regarding their estate tax liabilities amounting to P203.819 billion.

In a letter addressed to Aksyon Demokratiko Chairman Ernesto Ramel Jr., BIR Commissioner Ceasar Dulay said his office already sent a written demand to the Marcoses on December 02, 2021 regarding their tax liabilities.

On March 7, Ramel appealed to BIR to renew written demands to collect Marcoses' P203.819-billion tax debt.

He also wrote a letter to the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) on March 9 to seek clarification on the issue.

The party’s standard bearer, Domagoso, meanwhile, thanked Dulay for sending a demand letter to the Marcos family.

“We have received the copy of a the letter of Commissioner (Cesar) Dulay of BIR na sinulatan sila noong (that they wrote last) December 2, 2021, na sinisingil ang buwis ng pamilya Marcos sapagkat ito raw ay marapat lamang na mapunta na sa gobyerno (ordering the Marcos family to pay the tax because it should go to the government), So, I’m very happy that Commissioner Dulay wrote them a demand letter for them to pay. Sana makuha natin (I hope we'll get it),” Domagoso said in an interview in Negros Occidental.

“Now, there is a challenge. May isang (There is one) rule that we checked na after five years at hindi sinulatan uli, magpre-prescribe, mawe-waive lahat yon (and they fail to send them the letter again, the tax will be waived). Now, if that is the case, today is 2022, kapag na-elect ang pamilya na ‘yon at sila magpapatakbo ng gobyerno ng anim na taon, maba-balewala na ‘yong P200 billion (when that family is elected and they run the government for six years, the P200 billion would be disregarded),” the Manila mayor warned.

Domagoso earlier said he would go after the Marcos family’s tax debts if elected in the upcoming elections.

He said he will use the proceeds from these tax debts to help Filipinos who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Kaya hopefully, masingil natin ito, at hindi lang patungkol sa kanila, kumbaga ay sa pangkalahatan. It’s just that P200 billion, pera na ng taong bayan yon. Kung ako sa kanila, tutal marami naman silang pera, malaking bagay ito para makatulong sa ating mga kababayan. Sana ikusa na nila, huwag ng humanap ng ways on how to circumvent o paano mapalusutan ‘yung mga batas na umiiral sa pagbu-buwis (Hopefully, we can collect it, and it’s not just about them, it’s for the people in general. The P200 billion is already the people’s money. Since they already have a lot of money, it's a big thing to let it help our countrymen. I hope they take the initiative and don't look for ways on how to circumvent or evade the laws on taxation),” Domagoso said.