Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Chalssea Kate Echegoyen

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785293605677Screen Shot 2026-07-29 at 10.53.08 AM.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Bureau of Internal Revenue office. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</em><br/></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has filed three criminal complaints for tax evasion before the Department of Justice (DOJ) involving more than P416 million in alleged tax liabilities, targeting a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO)-linked company, a construction firm, and two real estate sellers.</p><p>The complaints, filed on July 23 under the BIR&#x27;s Run After Tax Evaders (RATE) Program, cover alleged violations of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC).</p><p>The biggest case involves Zun Yuan Technology Inc. and its officers, who face charges of willful failure to pay taxes and willful failure to supply correct and accurate information in tax returns.</p><p>The BIR said the company has an estimated tax liability of P402.74 million.</p><p>Zun Yuan Technology previously came under government scrutiny after authorities linked it to the raided POGO hub in Bamban, Tarlac, which became the subject of congressional and Senate investigations into alleged illegal POGO operations in 2024. </p><p>According to the BIR, its investigation found that while the company reported revenues from its POGO operations, it allegedly failed to declare substantial taxable income from offshore gaming activities, resulting in deficiencies in income tax, value-added tax (VAT), and withholding taxes.</p><p>Based on its findings, the bureau recommended the filing of criminal charges before the DOJ.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>OTHER CASES</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The BIR also filed criminal charges against AEP Construction and its officers for willful attempt to evade or defeat tax, willful failure to pay taxes, and willful failure to supply correct and accurate information in tax returns.</p><p>The construction firm&#x27;s estimated tax liability stands at P6.02 million.</p><p>The bureau said its investigation found that the company substantially underdeclared its taxable income, resulting in deficiencies in income tax and VAT. Based on its findings, the BIR recommended the filing of criminal charges before the DOJ for alleged violations of the National Internal Revenue Code.</p><p>Meanwhile, two VAT-registered real estate sellers were also charged with willful failure to pay taxes and willful failure to supply correct and accurate information in their tax returns.</p><p>The BIR said the case involves an estimated tax liability of P7.31 million.</p><p>Investigators found that the sellers allegedly treated the transactions as subject to capital gains tax despite being VAT-registered and engaged in the sale of real properties in the ordinary course of business. According to the bureau, this resulted in deficiencies in income tax and VAT, prompting the recommendation to file criminal charges before the DOJ.</p><p>From January to June 2026, the BIR filed 269 criminal complaints nationwide under the RATE Program. The bureau said the three latest complaints, together with other cases filed by its revenue regions in July, will be reflected in its nationwide enforcement record once the month&#x27;s figures are consolidated.</p><p>“Whether the violation involves underdeclared income, false tax filings, or misrepresentation of transactions, the Bureau will pursue every case supported by evidence. Honest taxpayers deserve a system that is fair, and that means holding accountable those who deliberately evade paying the correct taxes,” BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza said.</p><p>The RATE Program is one of the BIR&#x27;s primary enforcement initiatives aimed at prosecuting willful tax evaders through criminal cases.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/24/bir-files-p22-71-billion-tax-evasion-case-vs-sunwest-top-executives-1136">BIR files P22.71-billion tax evasion case vs Sunwest, top executives</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-TzudltqHn8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The BIR has filed three criminal complaints for tax evasion before the Department of Justice (DOJ) involving more than P416 million in alleged tax liabilities, targeting a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO)-linked company, a construction firm, and two real estate sellers.</p>

The BIR has filed three criminal complaints for tax evasion before the Department of Justice (DOJ) involving more than P416 million in alleged tax liabilities, targeting a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO)-linked company, a construction firm, and two real estate sellers.

BIR files P416-M tax evasion cases vs POGO-linked firm, other companies

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BIR files P416-M tax evasion cases vs POGO-linked firm, other companies

Chalssea Kate Echegoyen,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 29, 2026 10:59 AM PHT

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Tax evasion

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