BOC eyes P500M from alcohol, tobacco imported via ecozones
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is eyeing to collect roughly P500 million in unpaid excise taxes on imported alcohol and tobacco products brought through the Subic Bay Freeport economic zone and other freeport zones in the Philippines, the agency’s top official said.
This after the Supreme Court gave the government the go signal to collect excise taxes from imported alcohol and tobacco products brought through in freeport zones.
Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales said the agency is now waiting for a copy of the Supreme Court decision so that it would be able to immediately implement the order.
Morales said the P500 million would help the agency raise more revenues as it struggles to meet its 2007 collection goal of P228 billion and next year’s target of P254 billion.
A lower court in Olongapo City earlier barred the government from implementing Republic Act 9334 or the law that increased excise tax on sin products such as alcohol and tobacco.
The lower court barred government, through the Department of Finance (DOF), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and the BOC from imposing excise taxes on "sin products" imported through Subic and other special freeport zones, leaving a huge dent on state coffers.
However, the Supreme Court, through an en banc decision penned by Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales, recently nullified the order of the Olongapo City court.
The 25-page decision of the 15-man tribunal declared as null and void the May 4, 2005 order and the writ of preliminary injunction issued by Judge Ramon Caguioa of the Olongapo’s Regional Trial Court (RTC)-branch 74 stopping the government from implementing RA 9334 in special economic and freeport zones.
In its decision, the Supreme Court stated that the lower court committed a grave abuse of discretion in issuing the order.
Morales said the Olongapo Court’s decision had been a major problem for the BOC as it was not able to collect excise taxes from imported alcohol and cigarettes entering the country through freeport zones.
By IRIS C. GONZALES - The Philippine Star
This after the Supreme Court gave the government the go signal to collect excise taxes from imported alcohol and tobacco products brought through in freeport zones.
Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales said the agency is now waiting for a copy of the Supreme Court decision so that it would be able to immediately implement the order.
Morales said the P500 million would help the agency raise more revenues as it struggles to meet its 2007 collection goal of P228 billion and next year’s target of P254 billion.
A lower court in Olongapo City earlier barred the government from implementing Republic Act 9334 or the law that increased excise tax on sin products such as alcohol and tobacco.
The lower court barred government, through the Department of Finance (DOF), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and the BOC from imposing excise taxes on "sin products" imported through Subic and other special freeport zones, leaving a huge dent on state coffers.
However, the Supreme Court, through an en banc decision penned by Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales, recently nullified the order of the Olongapo City court.
The 25-page decision of the 15-man tribunal declared as null and void the May 4, 2005 order and the writ of preliminary injunction issued by Judge Ramon Caguioa of the Olongapo’s Regional Trial Court (RTC)-branch 74 stopping the government from implementing RA 9334 in special economic and freeport zones.
In its decision, the Supreme Court stated that the lower court committed a grave abuse of discretion in issuing the order.
Morales said the Olongapo Court’s decision had been a major problem for the BOC as it was not able to collect excise taxes from imported alcohol and cigarettes entering the country through freeport zones.
By IRIS C. GONZALES - The Philippine Star
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
6:17 AM
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