MANILA, Philippines — Former Malacañang spokesman Harry Roque late on Monday denied the tax evasion complaint filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) against himself, his wife Mylah, and his legal counsel, Percival Ortega.
In a statement on his Facebook page, the former Palace official said the complaint alleged that Roque, his wife, and lawyer acquired tax deficiencies totaling P3.35 million.
“These filings form part of a continuing pattern of actions which we believe are politically motivated and intended to harass and pressure individuals associated with, or perceived to be supportive of, the Duterte administration. We view these developments with serious concern as they raise fundamental issues regarding fairness, equal protection, and the impartial administration of justice,” he wrote.
“There has been no issuance of shares whatsoever pursuant to any alleged increase in authorized capital stock. Absent actual issuance or subscription of shares, there is no taxable event that could give rise to liability under Philippine tax law,” he added.
Roque said the allegations were “premised on a misunderstanding of basic corporate and tax principles.”
