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MORE THAN P4 billion has been collected from issuers of so-called “ghost receipts,” with further assessments and prosecutions ongoing, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said.
“We have collected more than P4 billion for 2024,” BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui, Jr. told reporters on Thursday from users of such receipts, whose issuers are non-existent corporations, facilitating the evasion of value-added tax.
He said collections are expected to at least double as prosecutions make their way through the courts.
In 2023, the BIR estimated up to P370 billion in foregone revenue due to the use of ghost receipts.
Mr. Lumagui said the challenges include locating violators.
Separately, Mr. Lumagui estimated up to P40 billion in foregone revenue due to the illicit cigarette trade last year.
“Recently, our raid in Bulacan and Valenzuela (resulted in) a criminal case — that’s P8.5 billion,” he said.
On Feb. 24, the BIR is set to destroy all the illicit cigarettes seized nationwide in Porac, Pampanga.
The BIR collected P130.91 billion in tobacco excise taxes in the first 11 months of 2024, well behind the pace needed to hit the year’s target of P185.34 billion. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante
