2022 BIR v. Cagang
2022 BIR v. Cagang
2022 BIR v. Cagang
DECISION
HERNANDO, J : p
This Petition for Review on Certiorari 1 seeks the reversal of the June
27, 2016 Decision 2 and the February 6, 2017 Resolution 3 of the Court of
Appeals (CA) in CA-G.R. SP No. 132453, which annulled and set aside the
August 13, 2013 Resolution 4 of the Department of Justice (DOJ) in NPS No.
XVI-INV-09H-00602. The said DOJ Resolution found probable cause and
recommended the filing of a criminal information against herein respondent
Samuel B. Cagang (Cagang) and Romulo M. Paredes (Paredes) as treasurer
and president, respectively, of CEDCO, Inc. (CEDCO) for their alleged
violation of Section 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC). 5
The Facts:
On March 4, 2003, CEDCO received from the BIR a letter of authority
(LOA) dated February 20, 2003, purportedly authorizing certain persons
named therein to examine CEDCO's books of accounts and other accounting
records. 6 Based on the letter, the examination was supposed to cover
taxable years 1997 to 2001. 7
On April 14, 2003, CEDCO sought the cancellation of the LOA. In a
letter of even date, CEDCO pointed out that its records had been examined
yearly by the BIR. It also emphasized that it had availed of the Voluntary
Assessment and Abatement Program for taxable years 2000 and 2001, and
that it had already paid all deficiency taxes against it. Further, CEDCO
informed the BIR that its records from 1997 to 2000 were no longer available
for examination, as it had already disposed of the same pursuant to Section
235 of the NIRC. 8 However, the BIR denied CEDCO's request. Thus, CEDCO
had to submit all of its available records to the BIR. 9
On May 24, 2005, CEDCO received a Preliminary Assessment Notice
(PAN) dated May 3, 2005. CEDCO was assessed the following taxes for
taxable years 2000 and 2001: (a) income tax; (b) Value-Added Tax (VAT); (c)
expanded withholding tax.; and (d) withholding tax on compensation. 10 CAIHTE
CEDCO protested the said assessment through its letters dated June 5,
2005 and August 17, 2005. 11 Despite such protests, the BIR still issued a
Formal Letter of Demand (FLD) dated December 9, 2005, 12 with attached
details of the discrepancies and assessment notices of even date, 13
demanding payment by CEDCO of the supposed deficiency taxes in the
amount of P126,564,315.98 covering taxable years 2000 and 2001. 14 In a
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letter dated February 8, 2006, 15 CEDCO, through Cagang, as Director for
Administration & Finance, appealed or protested the FLD/Final Assessment
Notice (FAN). 16 Nonetheless, BIR issued a Final Decision on Disputed
Assessment (FDDA) dated September 28, 2007, which denied CEDCO's
protest, to wit:
Referring to your letter dated February 8, 2006[,] please be informed
that your protest against our deficiency taxes for the taxable years
2000 and 2001 involving the amounts of P105,020,061.50 and
P21,544,254.48, respectively, the subject matter of our covering
letter of demand dated November 10, 2005, is hereby denied for lack
of factual and legal basis. There were no additional documents
presented to us that would dispute the issues raised against you.
xxx xxx xxx
The records of this case showed that you have not substantially
introduced any evidenced (sic) to overthrow the validity of our said
findings, thus your protest was considered void and without force and
effect. 17
Based on the FDDA, CEDCO had the following tax liabilities:
2000 2001
The DOJ and BIR then filed their motion for reconsideration 44 dated
July 25, 2016, but the same was denied by the CA through its Resolution
dated February 6, 2017 for lack of merit. 45
Hence, the present petition, where the BIR, through the Office of the
Solicitor General (OSG), posits that: (1) CEDCO is disqualified from availing of
the tax amnesty provision of RA 9480 due to its existing withholding tax
liabilities; and (2) there is probable cause to charge Cagang with violation of
Section 255 of the NIRC, as amended, insofar as he failed to cause the
payment of the withholding taxes due the government. 46
Issues
The issues to be determined in the present case are whether: (1)
CEDCO is entitled to avail of the tax amnesty under RA 9480; and (2) there is
probable cause to charge Cagang with the violation of Section 255 of the
NIRC.
Our Ruling
The petition is meritorious.
Tax amnesty refers to the "absolute waiver by a sovereign of its right
to collect taxes and power to impose penalties on persons or entities guilty
of violating a tax law. Tax amnesty aims to grant a general reprieve to tax
evaders who wish to come clean by giving them an opportunity to straighten
out their records." 47 Simply put, it partakes of an absolute relinquishment
by the government of its right to collect what is due it and to give tax
evaders who wish to relent a chance to start with a clean slate. 48
In 2007, Congress enacted RA 9480, which granted a tax amnesty
covering "all national internal revenue taxes for the taxable year 2005 and
prior years, with or without assessments duly issued therefor, that have
remained unpaid as of December 31, 2005." 49 These national internal
revenue taxes include (a) income tax; (b) VAT; (c) estate tax; (d) excise tax;
(e) donor's tax; (f) documentary stamp tax; (g) capital gains tax; and (h)
other percentage taxes. 50 Pursuant to Section 6 of RA 9480, those who
availed themselves of the benefits of the law became "immune from the
payment of taxes, as well as additions thereto, and the appurtenant civil,
criminal or administrative penalties under the National Internal Revenue
Code of 1997, as amended, arising from the failure to pay any and all
internal revenue taxes for taxable year 2005 and prior years." 51 TIADCc
You have admitted to the fact that payment of all monthly billings
were paid by the government agency to CEDCO account, which is
alleged a Project Office account, net of corresponding withholding
taxes. This is so because the government agency has to comply with
Sec. 57(B) of the NIRC. Payments of DPWH constitutes a taxable
income on the part of the recipients, the members of the consortium.
54
Probable cause has been defined as the existence of such facts and
circumstances as would excite the belief in a reasonable mind, acting on the
facts within the knowledge of the prosecutor, that the person charged was
guilty of the crime for which he was prosecuted. The term does not mean
"actual or positive cause" nor does it import absolute certainty. It is merely
based on opinion and reasonable belief. Thus, a finding of probable cause
does not require an inquiry into whether there is sufficient evidence to
procure a conviction. It is enough that it is believed that the act or omission
complained of constitutes the offense charged. Precisely, there is a trial
for the reception of evidence of the prosecution in support of the
charge. 66
WHEREFORE, premises considered, the petition is GRANTED. The
June 27, 2016 Decision and the February 6, 2017 Resolution of the Court of
Appeals in CA-G.R. SP No. 132453 are ANNULLED AND SET ASIDE.
SO ORDERED.
Perlas-Bernabe, Zalameda, J.Y. Lopez and Marquez, JJ., concur.
3. Id. at 49-51.
4. Id. at 90-93.
5. Id. at 39.
6. Id. at 62.
7. Id.
8. Id. at 63.
9. Id.
35. Id.
39. Id.
51. Id.
66. Unilever Phils., Inc. v. Tan, 725 Phil. 486, 498 (2014).