Kris, umalma sa malisyosong alegasyon sa tax

UMALMA si Kris Aquino sa malisyosong alegasyon sa kanya sa social media na may kaugnayan sa issue ng pagbabayad sa tax. Kaya naman sa kanyang Instagram account (@krisaquino) ay nag-post siya ng sagot sa alegasyong ito gayundin ang pagpapakita na isa siyang mabuting taxpayer base na rin sa inilabas niyang figures ng mga ibinayad niyang tax mula 2008 hanggang 2015.

Ayon sa IG post ni Kris, “To put things in context: Nilabas ang list ng top individual taxpayers for income earned in 2011, taxes paid in full April 15 up to July 15, 2012 nung income tax season of April 2013, the same time His Highness, the Sultan of Brunei was in the Philippines, for a State Visit… @inquirerdotnet used this photo as their front page banner picture… Kung maniniwala ako sa fairytale, si Princess Intan hindi lang pala sa @crazyrichasians pwede maging royalty… Please chill? That was just super wishful thinking.

“8 years of certified BIR tax payments ang nilabas ko, hindi po para magyabang, pero para magpatunay, na kailanman ay hindi ko magagawang ipagkait sa Pilipinas at mga PILIPINO ang karapat dapat at tamang buwis na dapat kong ibayad. ± 322,098,558.74 in paid taxes over 8 years, and i was already the top 8 taxpayer in 2008, a year before my mom died and 2 years before my brother became president.

“This post was simply a statement of easily verifiable BIR tax records… REALITY CHECK. HAPPY SUNDAY EVENING. #lovelovelove

Hindi man pinangalanan ni Kris si Gretchen Barretto sa kanyang IG post, tila ito ang sagot niya sa mga inihayag ni Gretchen sa nakaraan nitong IG Live. Kasama na rito ang pagsasabing umano’y tinulungan ni Kris ang kaibigan nitong businesswoman na si Alice Eduardo para mapababa raw ang babayarang tax sa Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) na pinamumunuan noon ni Kim Henares.

Hinayaan na lang din ni Kris ang kanyang mga abogado sa Divina Law Office na maglabas ng statement kaugnay ng mga alegasyon sa kanya sa social media na hindi rin pinangalanan si Gretchen. Patungkol ang statement sa alegasyong nagsasangkot kay Kris sa tax issue ni Eduardo. Ipinagdiinan din dito na hindi kailanman susuportahan ni Kris ang anumang tax evasion.

Narito ang kabuuang pahayag ng Divina Law Office na may titulong STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO SOME SOCIAL MEDIA USERS’ MALICIOUS ALLEGATIONS AGAINST MS. KRIS AQUINO: “First, our client did not intervene for Ms. Eduardo in any pending tax case.

“Second, our client is a friend of Ms. Eduardo for seven years already, and she knows her to be a law abiding citizen. However, the personal relationship of our client with Ms. Eduardo does not extend to her business interests.

“Ms. Aquino has been in the entertainment industry for three decades, and in those three decades, the Filipino people are witnesses to her tireless dedication, hard work, and commitment to her craft, whether as a movie actress, game show host, talk show presenter, or a trusted product endorser.

“Ms. Aquino prides herself with the fact that, from the time she first entered the industry, she has faithfully obeyed and adhered to the rule imposed by her mother, former President Cory Aquino: TO REPORT HER INCOME ACCURATELY AND PAY TAXES TO THE LAST CENTAVO. It is through the responsible paying of taxes that she may honor the support given to her by the Filipino people.

“The certified and published tax records of our client prove that, from 2008 to 2015, she has ranked among the country’s top taxpayers. In fact, in 2011, she was the number 1 individual taxpayer in the country.

“We reiterate that our client did not and will never aid, abet, or tolerate any tax evasion by anyone.

“Individuals using social media to cause unjust vexation against our client, Ms. Aquino, should first do their due diligence when levying accusations about tax compliance, especially when they are not a party to any of the cases filed by our client, or those filed against our client.”

ni Glen P. Sibonga