Kinasuhan ng Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) ang dalawang media company executives dahil sa hindi umano pagbabayad ng P23-4-million buwis.
Naghain ngayong Huwebes, October 3, ang BIR ng kasong tax evasion sa Department of Justice (DOJ) laban sa 11 kumpanya, kabilang ang nabuwag nang INQ7 Interactive, Inc.
Pinangalanan ng kawanihan sina GMA Network, Inc. Chairman at Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Atty. Felipe Gozon at Inquirer Group of Companies President Paolo Prieto bilang mga opisyal ng INQ7.
Si Gozon ay dating board chairman ng INQ7, habang si Prieto ang dating presidente nito.
Sa statement na inilabas ng BIR sa media, inilarawan nito ang INQ7 bilang “domestic corporation primarily engaged in internet publishing.”
Saad pa sa pahayag ng BIR: “Together with its responsible corporate officer, it is being sued for a total tax deficiency liability for taxable year 2006 amounting to PHP23,479,467.13, inclusive of increments.”
Kaugnay nito, iginiit ng BIR na nilabag ng respondents ang Section 255, na may kaugnayan sa 253 (d) at 256, ng National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.
GOZON READY TO ANSWER CHARGES
Samantala, sa official statement ng GMA Network na ipinadala sa PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) ngayong gabi, sinabi ni GMA Network Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Communications Angela Javier Cruz na bagamat hindi pa natatanggap ni Gozon ang kopya ng naturang reklamo, “he is ready to answer whatever charges as soon as he receives it.”
Nilinaw rin ni Javier na pinamunuan lang ni Gozon ang meetings ng INQ7 at hindi direktang nakibahagi sa operasyon ng kumpanya.
Narito ang kumpletong pahayag ng GMA Corporate Affairs and Communications:
“Atty. Gozon has yet to receive a copy of the complaint. He is ready to answer whatever charges as soon as he receives it.
“As Chairman of INQ7, he only presided the meetings of the Board and had no involvement or participation in the operations of the company.
“Gozon resigned from INQ7 in 2017.”
Hindi pa naglalabas ng opisyal na pahayag sa usapin ang Inquirer hanggang sa mailathala ang report na ito.
JOINT ONLINE PLATFORM
Ayon sa report ng Philippine News Agency (PNA), taong 2001 nang inilunsad ng GMA-7 at Philippine Daily Inquirer ang INQ7 bilang joint online platform.
Isinara ito noong 2006 nang magkaroon na ang dalawang kumpanya ng kani-kaniyang news websites.