MANILAL Philippine world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao has won a Supreme Court reprieve in his battle to avoid paying tens of millions of dollars in extra taxes, authorities said Thursday.
Pacquiao will not have to post a cash bond of 3.3 billion pesos ($75.2 million) and the government is banned from seizing any of his assets while his income tax case is being heard, according to a Supreme Court ruling.
The ruling, handed down this week and sent to AFP by court spokesman Theodore Te on Thursday, also ordered the proceedings be carried out more quickly as they began last year and are still in the pre-trial stage.
Pacquiao expressed relief at the ruling, which came ahead of a China tour starting next week to promote the Macau defense of his World Boxing Organization welterweight title against unbeaten US challenger Chris Algieri in November.
“Let us now let the legal process take its course. For now, I am just glad I will be able to concentrate on training for my upcoming bout,” he said in a statement.
The dispute arose from an initial assessment from the government that Pacquiao, 35, owed 2.2 billion pesos in unpaid taxes for 2008 and 2009.
President Benigno Aquino has waged a bruising campaign against tax evasion as part of a general crackdown on corruption during his four years in office.
Pacquiao, who has held world titles in eight separate weight divisions and is also a member of Congress, has become one of the highest-profile targets of the tax office’s sweep.
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Pacquiao wins round in bruising tax fight
Pacquiao wins round in bruising tax fight
Philippines House panel finds bid to impeach Marcos lacks substance
- President denies allegations of corruption and constitutional violations
- Lower chamber is currently dominated by loyalists of the president
MANILA: The Philippine House justice committee on Wednesday said two impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., accusing him of corruption, violating the constitution and betraying public trust, were lacking in substance.
On a third day of discussions about the complaints filed separately by a lawyer and activists, the committee overwhelmingly decided both lacked merit. Marcos, who is midway through his term in office, had denied wrongdoing.
The House of Representatives is expected to convene for a plenary vote where it could either uphold the committee’s findings or override them. The chamber is currently dominated by loyalists of the president.
Gerville Luistro, the head of the justice committee, said they plan to finish the report and submit it to the plenary on Monday next week.
“We intend to transmit right away to the plenary, but it depends on the plenary as to when the same will be tackled on the floor,” Luistro told a press conference.
For Marcos to be impeached it must be supported by at least one-third of the lower house. If that happens, he would be the second Philippine head of state to be impeached after Joseph Estrada, whose 2001 trial was aborted when some prosecutors walked out. The complaints against Marcos included his decision to allow his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte to be arrested and taken to The Hague to face trial at the International Criminal Court over thousands of killings during his notorious “war on drugs.”
Marcos, 68, was also accused of abusing his authority in spending public funds that led to a corruption scandal involving flood-control projects. His alleged drug use, which he has denied, also made him unfit to run the country, according to one of the complaints.
If the lower house decides to impeach him, the Senate would be required to convene for trial, where its 24 members serve as jurors.
Five top officials have been impeached in the Philippines and only one of those, a former chief justice, was convicted and removed from office.
On a third day of discussions about the complaints filed separately by a lawyer and activists, the committee overwhelmingly decided both lacked merit. Marcos, who is midway through his term in office, had denied wrongdoing.
The House of Representatives is expected to convene for a plenary vote where it could either uphold the committee’s findings or override them. The chamber is currently dominated by loyalists of the president.
Gerville Luistro, the head of the justice committee, said they plan to finish the report and submit it to the plenary on Monday next week.
“We intend to transmit right away to the plenary, but it depends on the plenary as to when the same will be tackled on the floor,” Luistro told a press conference.
For Marcos to be impeached it must be supported by at least one-third of the lower house. If that happens, he would be the second Philippine head of state to be impeached after Joseph Estrada, whose 2001 trial was aborted when some prosecutors walked out. The complaints against Marcos included his decision to allow his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte to be arrested and taken to The Hague to face trial at the International Criminal Court over thousands of killings during his notorious “war on drugs.”
Marcos, 68, was also accused of abusing his authority in spending public funds that led to a corruption scandal involving flood-control projects. His alleged drug use, which he has denied, also made him unfit to run the country, according to one of the complaints.
If the lower house decides to impeach him, the Senate would be required to convene for trial, where its 24 members serve as jurors.
Five top officials have been impeached in the Philippines and only one of those, a former chief justice, was convicted and removed from office.
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