Tax Evasion Raps for Cebuano Doctor

A Cebu City-based eye doctor and owner of Cebu Doctors Hospital has been sued for tax evasion by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) today (Thursday).

BIR Commissioner Kim Jacinto Henares claimed that Ophthalmologist Dr. Potenciano “Yong” Larrazabal, the husband of actress Donna Cruz, has failed to provide the BIR with correct and accurate information in his income tax returns for three years, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Henares said that under his watch, the BIR is running after those tax evaders who are not paying the government of their correct amount of taxes.

The BIR had learned that Larrazabal received P29.1 million in professional fees from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) during the three-year period, but in his income tax returns Larrazabal only declared P4.7 million.

According to the BIR investigators the young Larrazabal underdeclared his income so he could not pay the correct income tax on it and also failed to pay the Value Added Tax (VAT).

In the BIR’s computation, Larrazabal’s deficiency taxes for the three-year period would reach at P21.1 million that is why Henaresapproved the filing of charges against him.

Henares, interviewed over ABS-CBN, said the BIR has already declared war against professionals and businessmen who don’t pay the right taxes to the government.

MetroCebuNews tried but failed to reach Larrazabal for his comment about the case.