RepublicofthePhilippines

SUPREMECOURT
Manila

ENBANC

G.R.No.109289October3,1994

RUFINOR.TAN,petitioner,
vs.
RAMONR.DELROSARIO,JR.,asSECRETARYOFFINANCE&JOSEU.ONG,asCOMMISSIONEROF
INTERNALREVENUE,respondents.

G.R.No.109446October3,1994

CARAG,CABALLES,JAMORAANDSOMERALAWOFFICES,CARLOA.CARAG,MANUELITOO.
CABALLES,ELPIDIOC.JAMORA,JR.andBENJAMINA.SOMERA,JR.,petitioners,
vs.
RAMONR.DELROSARIO,inhiscapacityasSECRETARYOFFINANCEandJOSEU.ONG,inhiscapacity
asCOMMISSIONEROFINTERNALREVENUE,respondents.

RufinoR.Tanforandinhisownbehalf.

Carag,Caballes,Jamora&ZomeraLawOfficesforpetitionersinG.R.109446.

VITUG,J.:

Thesetwoconsolidatedspecialcivilactionsforprohibitionchallenge,inG.R.No.109289,theconstitutionalityof
RepublicActNo.7496,alsocommonlyknownastheSimplifiedNetIncomeTaxationScheme("SNIT"),amending
certainprovisionsoftheNationalInternalRevenueCodeand,in
G.R. No. 109446, the validity of Section 6, Revenue Regulations No. 293, promulgated by public respondents
pursuanttosaidlaw.

Petitioners claim to be taxpayers adversely affected by the continued implementation of the amendatory
legislation.

InG.R.No.109289,itisassertedthattheenactmentofRepublicAct
No.7496violatesthefollowingprovisionsoftheConstitution:

ArticleVI,Section26(1)EverybillpassedbytheCongressshallembraceonlyonesubjectwhich
shallbeexpressedinthetitlethereof.

Article VI, Section 28(1) The rule of taxation shall be uniform and equitable. The Congress shall
evolveaprogressivesystemoftaxation.

ArticleIII,Section1Nopersonshallbedeprivedof...propertywithoutdueprocessoflaw,nor
shallanypersonbedeniedtheequalprotectionofthelaws.

In G.R. No. 109446, petitioners, assailing Section 6 of Revenue Regulations No. 293, argue that public
respondentshaveexceededtheirrulemakingauthorityinapplyingSNITtogeneralprofessionalpartnerships.

TheSolicitorGeneralespousesthepositiontakenbypublicrespondents.

TheCourthasgivenduecoursetobothpetitions.Theparties,incompliancewiththeCourt'sdirective,havefiled
theirrespectivememoranda.

G.R.No.109289
PetitionercontendsthatthetitleofHouseBillNo.34314,progenitorofRepublicActNo.7496,isamisnomeror,at
least,deficientforbeingmerelyentitled,"SimplifiedNetIncomeTaxationSchemefortheSelfEmployed
andProfessionalsEngagedinthePracticeoftheirProfession"(PetitioninG.R.No.109289).

Thefulltextofthetitleactuallyreads:

An Act Adopting the Simplified Net Income Taxation Scheme For The SelfEmployed and
Professionals Engaged In The Practice of Their Profession, Amending Sections 21 and 29 of the
NationalInternalRevenueCode,asAmended.

The pertinent provisions of Sections 21 and 29, so referred to, of the National Internal Revenue Code, as now
amended,provide:

Sec.21.Taxoncitizensorresidents.

xxxxxxxxx

(f)SimplifiedNetIncomeTaxfortheSelfEmployedand/orProfessionalsEngagedinthePracticeof
Profession. A tax is hereby imposed upon the taxable net income as determined in Section 27
received during each taxable year from all sources, other than income covered by paragraphs (b),
(c),(d)and(e)ofthissectionbyeveryindividualwhether
acitizenofthePhilippinesoranalienresidinginthePhilippineswhoisselfemployedorpracticeshis
professionherein,determinedinaccordancewiththefollowingschedule:

NotoverP10,0003%

OverP10,000P300+9%
butnotoverP30,000ofexcessoverP10,000

OverP30,000P2,100+15%
butnotoverP120,00ofexcessoverP30,000

OverP120,000P15,600+20%
butnotoverP350,000ofexcessoverP120,000

OverP350,000P61,600+30%
ofexcessoverP350,000

Sec. 29. Deductions from gross income. In computing taxable income subject to tax under
Sections 21(a), 24(a), (b) and (c) and 25 (a)(1), there shall be allowed as deductions the items
specifiedinparagraphs(a)to(i)ofthissection:Provided,however,Thatincomputingtaxableincome
subject to tax under Section 21 (f) in the case of individuals engaged in business or practice of
profession,onlythefollowingdirectcostsshallbeallowedasdeductions:

(a)Rawmaterials,suppliesanddirectlabor

(b)Salariesofemployeesdirectlyengagedinactivitiesinthecourseoforpursuanttothebusinessor
practiceoftheirprofession

(c)Telecommunications,electricity,fuel,lightandwater

(d)Businessrentals

(e)Depreciation

(f)ContributionsmadetotheGovernmentandaccreditedrelieforganizationsfortherehabilitationof
calamitystrickenareasdeclaredbythePresidentand

(g) Interest paid or accrued within a taxable year on loans contracted from accredited financial
institutions which must be proven to have been incurred in connection with the conduct of a
taxpayer'sprofession,tradeorbusiness.
 For individuals whose cost of goods sold and direct costs are difficult to determine, a maximum of
fortypercent(40%)oftheirgrossreceiptsshallbeallowedasdeductionstoanswerforbusinessor
professionalexpensesasthecasemaybe.

Onthebasisoftheabovelanguageofthelaw,itwouldbedifficulttoacceptpetitioner'sviewthattheamendatory
law should be considered as having now adopted a gross income, instead of as having still retained
the net income, taxation scheme. The allowance for deductible items, it is true, may have significantly been
reduced by the questioned law in comparison with that which has prevailed prior to the amendment limiting,
however,allowabledeductionsfromgrossincomeisneitherdiscordantwith,noropposedto,thenetincometax
concept.Thefactofthematterisstillthatvariousdeductions,whicharebynomeansinconsequential,continueto
bewellprovidedunderthenewlaw.

Article VI, Section 26(1), of the Constitution has been envisioned so as (a) to prevent logrolling legislation
intendedtounitethemembersofthelegislaturewhofavoranyoneofunrelatedsubjectsinsupportofthewhole
act, (b) to avoid surprises or even fraud upon the legislature, and (c) to fairly apprise the people, through such
publicationsofitsproceedingsasareusuallymade,ofthesubjectsoflegislation.1Theaboveobjectivesofthefundamental
law appear to us to have been sufficiently met. Anything else would be to require a virtual compendium of the law which could not have been the
intendmentoftheconstitutionalmandate.

Petitioner intimates that Republic Act No. 7496 desecrates the constitutional requirement that taxation "shall be
uniformandequitable"inthatthelawwouldnowattempttotaxsingleproprietorshipsandprofessionalsdifferently
from the manner it imposes the tax on corporations and partnerships. The contention clearly forgets, however,
thatsuchasystemofincometaxationhaslongbeentheprevailingruleevenpriortoRepublicActNo.7496.

Uniformityoftaxation,likethekindredconceptofequalprotection,merelyrequiresthatallsubjectsorobjectsof
taxation, similarly situated, are to be treated alike both in privileges and liabilities (Juan Luna Subdivision vs.
Sarmiento, 91 Phil. 371). Uniformity does not forfend classification as long as: (1) the standards that are used
thereforaresubstantialandnotarbitrary,(2)thecategorizationisgermanetoachievethelegislativepurpose,(3)
the law applies, all things being equal, to both present and future conditions, and (4) the classification applies
equally well to all those belonging to the same class (Pepsi Cola vs. City of Butuan, 24 SCRA 3 Basco vs.
PAGCOR,197SCRA52).

What may instead be perceived to be apparent from the amendatory law is the legislative intent to increasingly
shifttheincometaxsystemtowardstheschedularapproach2intheincometaxationofindividualtaxpayersandtomaintain,by
andlarge,thepresentglobaltreatment3ontaxablecorporations.Wecertainlydonotviewthisclassificationtobearbitraryandinappropriate.

Petitionergivesafairlyextensivediscussiononthemeritsofthelaw,illustrating,intheprocess,whathebelieves
tobeanimbalancebetweenthetaxliabilitiesofthosecoveredbytheamendatorylawandthosewhoarenot.With
thelegislatureprimarilyliesthediscretiontodeterminethenature(kind),object(purpose),extent(rate),coverage
(subjects)andsitus(place)oftaxation.Thiscourtcannotfreelydelveintothosematterswhich,byconstitutional
fiat,rightlyrestonlegislativejudgment.Ofcourse,whereataxmeasurebecomessounconscionableandunjust
astoamounttoconfiscationofproperty,courtswillnothesitatetostrikeitdown,for,despiteallitsplenitude,the
powertotaxcannotoverrideconstitutionalproscriptions.Thisstage,however,hasnotbeendemonstratedtohave
beenreachedwithinanyappreciabledistanceinthiscontroversybeforeus.

Havingarrivedatthisconclusion,thepleaofpetitionertohavethelawdeclaredunconstitutionalforbeingviolative
of due process must perforce fail. The due process clause may correctly be invoked only when there is a clear
contraventionofinherentorconstitutionallimitationsintheexerciseofthetaxpower.Nosuchtransgressionisso
evidenttous.

G.R.No.109446

The several propositions advanced by petitioners revolve around the question of whether or not public
respondentshaveexceededtheirauthorityinpromulgatingSection6,RevenueRegulationsNo.293,tocarryout
RepublicActNo.7496.

Thequestionedregulationreads:

Sec. 6. General Professional Partnership The general professional partnership (GPP) and the
partnerscomprisingtheGPParecoveredbyR.A.No.7496.Thus,indeterminingthenetprofitofthe
partnership,onlythedirectcostsmentionedinsaidlawaretobedeductedfrompartnershipincome.
Also, the expenses paid or incurred by partners in their individual capacities in the practice of their
 professionwhicharenotreimbursedorpaidbythepartnershipbutarenotconsideredasdirectcost,
arenotdeductiblefromhisgrossincome.

The real objection of petitioners is focused on the administrative interpretation of public respondents that would
apply SNIT to partners in general professional partnerships. Petitioners cite the pertinent deliberations in
Congress during its enactment of Republic Act No. 7496, also quoted by the Honorable Hernando B. Perez,
minorityfloorleaderoftheHouseofRepresentatives,inthelatter'sprivilegespeechbywayofcommentingonthe
questionedimplementingregulationofpublicrespondentsfollowingtheeffectivityofthelaw,thusly:

MR.ALBANO,NowMr.Speaker,Iwouldliketogetthecorrectimpressionofthisbill.Do
we speak here of individuals who are earning, I mean, who earn through business
enterprisesandtherefore,shouldfileanincometaxreturn?

MR.PEREZ.Thatiscorrect,Mr.Speaker.Thisdoesnotapplytocorporations.Itapplies
onlytoindividuals.

(SeeDeliberationsonH.B.No.34314,August6,1991,6:15P.M.Emphasisours).

Otherdeliberationssupportthisposition,towit:

MR.ABAYA...Now,Mr.Speaker,didIheartheGentlemanfromBatangassaythatthis
bill is intended to increase collections as far as individuals are concerned and to make
collectionoftaxesequitable?

MR.PEREZ.Thatiscorrect,Mr.Speaker.

(Id.at6:40P.M.Emphasisours).

Infact,inthesponsorshipspeechofSenatorMamintalTamanoontheSenateversionoftheSNITS,
itiscategoricallystated,thus:

Thisbill,Mr.President,isnotapplicabletobusinesscorporationsortopartnershipsitis
onlywithrespecttoindividualsandprofessionals.(Emphasisours)

TheCourt,firstofall,shouldliketocorrecttheapparentmisconceptionthatgeneralprofessionalpartnershipsare
subjecttothepaymentofincometaxorthatthereisadifferenceinthetaxtreatmentbetweenindividualsengaged
in business or in the practice of their respective professions and partners in general professional partnerships.
Thefactofthematteristhatageneralprofessionalpartnership,unlikeanordinarybusinesspartnership(whichis
treated as a corporation for income tax purposes and so subject to the corporate income tax), is not itself an
incometaxpayer.Theincometaxisimposednotontheprofessionalpartnership,whichistaxexempt,butonthe
partnersthemselvesintheirindividualcapacitycomputedontheirdistributivesharesofpartnershipprofits.Section
23oftheTaxCode,whichhasnotbeenamendedatallbyRepublicAct7496,isexplicit:

Sec. 23. Tax liability of members of general professional partnerships. (a) Persons exercising a
common profession in general partnership shall be liable for income tax only in their individual
capacity,andtheshareinthenetprofitsofthegeneralprofessionalpartnershiptowhichanytaxable
partnerwouldbeentitledwhetherdistributedorotherwise,shallbereturnedfortaxationandthetax
paidinaccordancewiththeprovisionsofthisTitle.

(b)Indetermininghisdistributiveshareinthenetincomeofthepartnership,eachpartner

(1)Shalltakeintoaccountseparatelyhisdistributiveshareofthepartnership'sincome,
gain,loss,deduction,orcredittotheextentprovidedbythepertinentprovisionsofthis
Code,and

(2) Shall be deemed to have elected the itemized deductions, unless he declares his
distributiveshareofthegrossincomeundiminishedbyhisshareofthedeductions.

Thereis,thenandnow,nodistinctioninincometaxliabilitybetweenapersonwhopracticeshisprofessionalone
orindividuallyandonewhodoesitthroughpartnership(whetherregisteredornot)withothersintheexerciseofa
common profession. Indeed, outside of the gross compensation income tax and the final tax on passive
investment income, under the present income tax system all individuals deriving income from any source
whatsoeveraretreatedinalmostinvariablythesamemannerandunderacommonsetofrules.
WecanwellappreciatetheconcerntakenbypetitionersifperhapsweweretoconsiderRepublicActNo.7496as
anentirelyindependent,notmerelyasanamendatory,pieceoflegislation.Theviewcaneasilybecomemyopic,
however,whenthelawisunderstood,asitshouldbe,asonlyformingpartof,andsubjectto,thewholeincome
tax concept and precepts long obtaining under the National Internal Revenue Code. To elaborate a little, the
phrase "income taxpayers" is an all embracing term used in the Tax Code, and it practically covers all persons
whoderivetaxableincome.Thelaw,inlevyingthetax,adoptsthemostcomprehensivetaxsitusofnationalityand
residenceofthetaxpayer(thatrenderscitizens,regardlessofresidence,andresidentalienssubjecttoincometax
liability on their income from all sources) and of the generally accepted and internationally recognized income
taxable base (that can subject nonresident aliens and foreign corporations to income tax on their income from
Philippinesources).Intheprocess,theCodeclassifiestaxpayersintofourmaingroups,namely:(1)Individuals,
(2) Corporations, (3) Estates under Judicial Settlement and (4) Irrevocable Trusts (irrevocable both as
tocorpusandastoincome).

Partnershipsare,undertheCode,either"taxablepartnerships"or"exemptpartnerships."Ordinarily,partnerships,
no matter how created or organized, are subject to income tax (and thus alluded to as "taxable partnerships")
which,forpurposesoftheabovecategorization,arebylawassimilatedtobewithinthecontextof,andsolegally
contemplated as, corporations. Except for few variances, such as in the application of the "constructive receipt
rule"inthederivationofincome,theincometaxapproachisaliketobothjuridicalpersons.Obviously,SNITisnot
intended or envisioned, as so correctly pointed out in the discussions in Congress during its deliberations on
Republic Act 7496, aforequoted, to cover corporations and partnerships which are independently subject to the
paymentofincometax.

"Exempt partnerships," upon the other hand, are not similarly identified as corporations nor even considered as
independent taxable entities for income tax purposes. A general professional partnership is such an
example.4Here,thepartnersthemselves,notthepartnership(althoughitisstillobligatedtofileanincometaxreturn[mainlyforadministrationand
data]), are liable for the payment of income tax in theirindividualcapacity computed on their respective and distributive shares of profits. In the
determination of the tax liability, a partner does so as anindividual, and there is no choice on the matter. In fine, under the Tax Code on income
taxation,thegeneralprofessionalpartnershipisdeemedtobenomorethanameremechanismoraflowthroughentityinthegenerationofincome
by,andtheultimatedistributionofsuchincometo,respectively,eachoftheindividualpartners.

Section6ofRevenueRegulationNo.293didnotalter,butmerelyconfirmed,theabovestandingruleasnowso
modifiedbyRepublicAct
No.7496onbasicallytheextentofallowabledeductionsapplicabletoallindividualincometaxpayersontheirnon
compensationincome.Thereisnoevidentintentionofthelaw,eitherbeforeoraftertheamendatorylegislation,to
placeinanunequalfootingorinsignificantvariancetheincometaxtreatmentofprofessionalswhopracticetheir
respectiveprofessionsindividuallyandofthosewhodoitthroughageneralprofessionalpartnership.

WHEREFORE,thepetitionsareDISMISSED.Nospecialpronouncementoncosts.

SOORDERED.

Narvasa, C.J., Cruz, Feliciano, Regalado, Davide, Jr., Romero, Bellosillo, Melo, Quiason, Puno, Kapunan and
Mendoza,JJ.,concur.

PadillaandBidin,JJ.,areonleave.