‘Speak to Words’: Palace speaks to Pacquiao about corruption allegations against Duterte administrator

[ad_1]

Alexis Romero (Philstar.com) – July 8, 2021 – 5:52 p.m.

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Thursday challenged Senator Manny Pacquiao to “speak the word” on days of corruption after President Rodrigo Duterte filed a tax evasion complaint against the senator who recently reported anomalies to a certain number of state agencies.

Relations with former close allies, Duterte and Pacquiao, have deteriorated, with the president threatening to campaign against the senator in the 2022 election if he fails to name corrupt government agencies. The boxer-turned-senator is reportedly considering the presidency next year. Pacquiao accepted Duterte’s challenge and identified the departments of health, welfare, energy and the environment among the agencies that are in an irregular situation. The Duterte administration has played down the senator’s claims, saying they are not supported by evidence.

In a meeting with officials of the ruling PDP-Laban party last Tuesday, Duterte said Pacquiao had a tax evasion case and the senator owed the government 2.2 billion pesos in taxes from his income. of a boxing match. The president added that an official who deceives the government is “corrupt”.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the president’s remark was not intended to come back to Pacquiao for criticizing alleged corruption in certain agencies.

“This is not revenge. It is a case filed against him a long time ago at the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue),” Roque said during a press briefing.

“That’s why the president said, ‘I thought you were anti-corruption? You have to follow the rhetoric if you are against corruption. How is it that you yourself don’t pay taxes, which is really a form of corruption because you are, at the same time, a public official, “he added.

Duterte said he would check the status of the tax evasion case against Pacquiao. The senator, who left the country last weekend to prepare for his next boxing match in Las Vegas, has yet to react to the president’s latest tirade against him. In 2018, the Tax Appeal Court ordered the BIR to “cease and desist” from collecting P3.29 billion of alleged fiscal deficit from Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee for 2008 and 2009 due to a lack of merit.

As of Wednesday, Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Senator Richard Gordon said Pacquiao has yet to table a resolution calling for an investigation into alleged irregularities at certain agencies.

[ad_2]