Bill on taxpayers’ rights OK’d on Senate 3rd, final reading

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

The measure is one of the priority bills the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) wants passed in the sec- ond regular session of the 19th Congress.

Among the taxpayers’ rights laid out by the bill include the following: to have a clear explanation of the taxes one must pay; to defend oneself in case of an assessment of deficiency or incorrect payments; to have a lawyer, accountant or customs broker; and, to enter into an amicable settlement when accused of failing to pay the right taxes.

The awaited remedial legislation also addressed the “right to privacy” for a convicted taxpayer.

The law would also accord them the right to keep making their tax records public.

The bill also mandates that any violation by the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Bureau of Customs and other tax collecting agencies carries an equitable penalty ranging from six month to six years jail term and fine ranging up to P1.5 million.

At the same time, authorities are also lining up obligations of taxpayers, including complete and accurate information provided to revenue authorities.

Moreover, it tackled obligations of taxpayers to be careful in complying with their tax obligations as well as their tax records.

As proposed, an office will be created for a National Taxpayer Advocate, which would provide free legal service to taxpayers.