Screengrab from Senate PH

Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Romeo "Jun" Lumagui Jr. made headlines as he announced that the BIR has officially filed criminal tax evasion charges with the Department of Justice (DOJ) against Alice Guo, Jack Uy, and Rachelle Joan Malonzo Carreon, the Corporate Secretary of Baofu Land Development Inc. (Baofu).

The case stems from a significant discovery made by the BIR after Guo admitted to transferring her shares in Baofu. It turned out that no Capital Gains Tax (CGT) or Documentary Stamp Tax (DST) had been filed or paid for this transaction—a serious oversight that caught the attention of the tax authorities.

As a result, Guo, Carreon, and Uy now face criminal charges under several sections of the National Internal Revenue Code, including Section 254 for attempting to evade or defeat tax, Section 255 for failing to file CGT and DST returns, and an additional violation under Section 250 for Carreon’s failure to file or supply certain required information.

Commissioner Lumagui emphasized that the BIR’s audit of Guo’s entire business operations is ongoing, especially after recent Senate hearings revealed her involvement in various illegal activities. The BIR is now waiting for crucial government documents to complete this audit.

While due process will be followed, Lumagui made it clear that if Guo fails to settle her tax deficiencies, the BIR will not hesitate to file additional criminal charges against her. The BIR is sending a strong message that it is serious about cracking down on tax evasion, and this case is just one example of the agency's commitment to enforcing the law.