ABS-CBN not tax delinquent, says BIR

ABS-CBN Corp., which the regulator ordered closed after its franchise expired last month, had paid all taxes, according to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

The media giant that is critical of President Rodrigo R. Duterte had paid more than P15 billion in taxes since 2016, BIR Assistant Commissioner Manuel V. Mapoy told congressmen at a hearing of the company’s franchise extension on Wednesday.

“There is no delinquent account,” he said. “ABS-CBN Corp. has been regularly paying its corporate taxes for the past years.”

ABS-CBN group Chief Financial Officer Ricardo B. Tan said the media group had paid P71 billion in taxes from 2003 to 2019. The company is seeking to return on air after the National Telecommunications Commission stopped its operations when its franchise expired on May 4.

The regulator on Tuesday issued another order stopping the direct broadcast satellite service of unit Sky Cable Corp.

ABS-CBN has asked the Supreme Court to overturn the regulator’s first cease order.

Nueva Ecija Rep. Micaela S. Violago in a manifestation said some broadcast companies had been allowed to operate with an expired franchise.

Source: — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

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