Jeane Napoles refuses to enter plea in tax evasion case

MANILA - Jeane Catherine Napoles, daughter of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles, refused to enter a plea during her arraignment for a P17.4 million tax evasion case at the Court of Tax Appeals.

The refusal of Napoles to enter a plea prompted CTA 3rd Division Associate Justice Esperanza Fabon-Victorino to enter a ''not guilty'' plea on her behalf.

The younger Napoles was earlier charged with tax evasion after she failed to file income tax returns in 2011 and 2012.

The younger Napoles supposedly bought a condominium unit at the Ritz Carlton in Los Angeles, California for $1,280,000 (P54.73 million) in July 2011.

Her tax liability has ballooned to about P32 million due to non-payment and interest.

Napoles' lawyers agreed to the arraignment without prejudice to their pending motion for reconsideration.

In an interview after the arraignment, Napoles lawyer Stephen David reiterated their point that Napoles is unemployed and is therefore not required to pay income tax.

Napoles is also facing another tax case, which is for the non-filing of income tax returns (ITR). She also refused to enter a plea in that case. The two tax cases are now consolidated at the 3rd Division.

At the height of the pork barrel scam, the younger Napoles was criticized after she was seen flaunting her lavish lifestyle via social media amid allegations that her mother stole public funds by forging illegal deals with lawmakers.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao to sell Forbes Park mansion for P708-M - report

MANILA, Philippines – Even as he prepares for his upcoming title clash against Chris Algieri, word is spreading about Manny Pacquiao putting up his Forbes Park mansion for sale.

The Philippine Star columnist Babe Romualdez said that the eight-division champion, who has been hounded by his P3 billion-tax liability case, is selling the 1,500-square meter property for P708 million.

“One of our real estate informants told Spy Bits that Sarangani Congressman Manny Pacquiao is about to sell his house located at Cambridge Circle in Forbes Park for P708 million,” Romualdez said in his column Spybits.

Pacquiao bought the mansion for P388 million back in 2011 while he was still the world's pound-for-pound champion.

Pacquiao is set to earn a guaranteed $25 million (roughly P1.1 billion) in his WBO welterweight title defense against Algieri in Macau this weekend.

The fighting congressman, who also recently dabbled in professional basketball, is locked in a legal battle with the BIR and the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) over his tax liability.

The bureau is going after Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee for allegedly failing to settle his tax deficiencies with the government, which have ballooned to over P3 billion.

Pacquiao sought the help of the CTA, but the court has asked the boxer to cough up a cash bond of P3.2 billion or a P4 billion surety bond.

He went to the Supreme Court, which issued a temporary restraining order on the tax case.

Malacanang, meanwhile, wished Pacquiao all the best in his Macau fight.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said the whole country is hoping for their hero's victory on Sunday.

"Nawa'y pagpalain siya ng Panginoon na magkaroon ng sapat na lakas at gilas upang maipagwagi ang laban niya at magdulot ng ibayong karangalan sa bansang Pilipinas!" he said in a statement.

"We are confident that the Pacman will bear the flag proudly again this time," Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said for her part.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

CTA denies issuing freeze order on Pacquiao accounts

The Court of Tax Appeals denied it has issued any freeze order on the bank deposits of boxing champ and congressman Manny Pacquiao, in connection with a P2.2 billion tax evasion case.

"The CTA has not issued any order freezing the bank accounts of Pacquiao. It is the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) which issued a warrant of garnishment to the banks, which in effect froze his accounts," Atty. Margarette Guzman, CTA First Division Clerk of Court. told ABS-CBNnews.com.

The CTA made the statement after Pacquiao confirmed that there was a freeze order on his bank accounts and properties. Pacquiao even said he had to borrow money for the financial aid he promised for the typhoon survivors in the Visayas.

Guzman said Pacquiao has filed a civil case with the court last August questioning the assessment issued against him and his wife for P2.2 billion.

"Sometime October 18, the petitioners, congressman Pacquiao and Jinky Pacquiao filed urgent motion to lift warrants of restraint and levy and garnishment and for the issuance of an order to suspend the collection of tax with prayer for issuance of TRO. That is the one being heard by the court currently. No ruling as of yet has been rendered by the court to that effect. Whether or not the court will grant the motion or deny the motion," she told ANC.

However, the CTA's First Division has not yet issued its ruling on Pacquiao's motion, Guzman said.

Pacquiao's tax case stemmed from the reported failure of his accountant to report in his income tax returns the millions of dollars-worth of taxes he paid in the US in relation to his fight purses from 2008 to 2009.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com