| Former AFP comptroller Jacinto Ligot |
THE Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) has issued a warrant of arrest against former military comptroller Jacinto Ligot and his wife Erlinda after finding probable cause in their P165-million tax evasion case, it was learned on Friday.
In a three-page resolution, the CTA Second Division ordered the couple’s arrest after concluding that there existed probable cause in the charges against them
“After due deliberation and careful consideration of the information and the supporting documents, [the CTA] finds the existence of probable cause for the issuance of a warrant of arrest against [the Ligots],” the resolution said.
The CTA Second Division, composed of Associate Justices Juanito Castañeda Jr., Caesar Casanova and Cielito Mindaro-Grulla, promulgated the resolution on September 28, but only released the court findings on Friday.
In March, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) filed a tax evasion complaint against the Ligots for tax deficiencies tagged at P428 million for their supposed failure to pay taxes from 2001 to 2004.
The BIR also filed the same complaint against Erlinda’s brother, Edgardo Yambao, who it claimed had a total tax deficiency of at least P285 million.
The tax appellate court, however, is yet to determine if there is probable cause in the case against Yambao, who is allegedly the couple’s dummy.
In July, the Department of Justice formally charged the Ligots for tax evasion for violating the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.
The former military comptroller and his wife were accused of not reporting P87.92 million in their 2003 income tax returns and P77.45 million in their other income, bringing the amount to P165.37 million.
The information against the couple said that for taxable year 2003, both were found incurring a total tax deficiency of P153.20 million “exlusive of interest and penalty charges.”
“[I]f the information is valid on its face and there is no showing of manifest error . . . the trial court should respect [the] determination [of the state prosecutor to order the filing of the information],” the resolution said.
The tax appellate court set the bond for the Ligots for their temporary liberty at P20,000 each.
With report from Katrina Mennen A. Valdez
