The camp of presidential candidate Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso urged the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Friday, April 22, to garnish the bank accounts linked to the estate of the Marcos family to settle their tax liabilities.

In a letter to BIR Commissioner Ceasar Dulay dated April 21, Aksyon Demokratiko chairperson Ernesto Ramel Jr. urged the BIR “to immediately and continuously implement collection efforts, whether civil or criminal manner of collection, including distraint/garnishment of the bank accounts relating to the estate of the late dictator Marcos Sr.”

“We believe that it is in the best interest of the Filipino people that the taxes to be collected be put public use, especially in this time of pandemic,” the letter stated.

“The executor/administrator/beneficiary/person in actual or constructive possession of any property of the Marcos Estate continuously evade or defeat to pay the estate tax delinquency as required under Section 84 of the old Code (now Sec. 91 of the present Code). Such willful attempts are punishable with fines and imprisonment under Section 254 of the old Code (now Sec. 254 and 255 of the present Code),” Ramel added.

The party chairman noted that it is just right that the BIR exercises its mandate to enforce public contribution for the benefit of the Filipino people.

The Aksyon Demokratiko has started pressing the camp of former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to settle the P203-billion tax debt as early as March.

The BIR had earlier said it already sent a written demand to the Marcoses regarding their tax liabilities on December 2, 2021.

Domagoso had earlier said he would go after the Marcos family’s tax debts and use the proceeds from these tax debts to help Filipinos who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.