WILLIAM Villarica, the pawnshop owner who is the first defendant under the Aquino administration’s Run After Tax Evaders (RATE) program has posted bail for his temporary liberty.
Villarica who was slapped with a P22.4-million tax evasion complaint by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has posted a P300, 000 bail at Branch 11 of the Regional Trial Court of Malolos City.
The Villarica case is the first filed under the Aquino administration’s RATE program or since Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares assumed office.
The tax-evasion case against him was filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) on July 15 last year.
Last month, the Justice department found probable cause on the complaint filed by the BIR and filed the information against Villarica before the Regional Trial Court of Malolos City.
Assistant Prosecutor Edna Valenzuela, who handled the case, signed the DOJ resolution. Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Miguel Guidio Jr. and Prosecutor General Claro Arellano approved the said resolution.
According to documents from the Court of Tax Appeal (CTA) dated July 13, Villarica posted a bail of P200,000 for criminal case 212 and P100,000 for criminal case 313 in Malolos upon learning of the filing of two criminal informations against him at the CTA.
The CTA has exclusive jurisdiction over all criminal offenses arising from violations of the National Internal Revenue Code or the Tariff and Customs Code and other laws administered by either the BIR or the Bureau of Customs.
The CTA also has exclusive original jurisdiction in tax collection cases involving penalties of over P1 million as well as in the final and executory assessment of taxes, fees, charges and penalties.
For violation of Section 254 of the tax code or for attempting to evade or defeat taxes, Villarica faces a fine of P30,000 to P100,000 and imprisonment of two to four years.
Meanwhile, for violation of Section 255 of the tax code or failure to file correct and accurate information, Villarica faces a minimum fine of P10,000 and imprisonment of one to 10 years.
The BIR earlier reported that Villarica bought a two-door Lamborghini for P26 million in 2007, the year when he and his wife reportedly did not pay their taxes.
