Pacquiao shows IRS document on taxes paid in 2008, 2009

Manny Pacquiao. AP FILE PHOTO

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines – Boxing champ and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao brought out a copy of his income tax payment to the Internal Revenue Service in the United States in 2008 and 2009 to dispute the statement of BIR commissioner Kim Henares that he only submitted a copy of a letter of Top Rank’s big boss Bob Arum.

“Ito ang magpapatunay na nagbayad ako ng taxes sa US. Kopya ito galing sa IRS,” Pacquiao said pinpointing a copy of his 2008 and 2009 tax returns from IRS.

Pacquiao reacted to the statement made by BIR Commissioner Kim Henares that they submitted only the letter sent by Top Rank honcho Bob Arum to the BIR informing the tax agency that Pacman had settled his tax liabilities in the US.

“She’s not telling the truth. We submitted a copy of IRS from the US which they refused to honor because they want an original copy,” Pacquiao told reporters here.

The eight-division boxing champ said it was also not true that only two of his accounts were frozen by the BIR.

In an interview with the media, Henares claimed only two of Pacquiao’s bank accounts were ordered frozen.

“That is not true. BIR commissioner Kim Henares was just referring to my wife’s accounts. All of my accounts were frozen,” Pacquiao bared.

The boxer-lawmaker claimed he could not withdraw even from his six other bank accounts in HSBC, China Bank, BDO, Security Bank, Union Bank and Metro Bank.

He admitted he was hurt by the freeze and garnishment orders issued by the BIR.

“Hindi naman ako tatakbo. At pinaghirapan ko ang pera na yan. Hindi ko ninakaw. Pagkatapos ng karangalan na ibinigay ko sa bansa, ganito lang ang mangyayari?” Pacquiao lamented.

He, however, expressed optimism the problem would be settled eventually.

“Problema ito sa pagitan ko at ng BIR. Walang kinalaman dito ang Pangulo (President Aquino). Kaya lang masakit at naperwisyo ako ng todo. May mga tauhan akong pinapasweldo, may mga scholars na pinapag-aral at nangangailangan ng tulong ang mga kababayan nating sinalanta ng bagyo (This is a problem between me and the BIR.  The President has nothing to do with this.  But I have been seriously inconvenienced.  I have employees to pay, scholars to send to school and people displaced by typhoons to help,” he said.

He appealed to the BIR to lift the freeze order, saying, “Nakikipag-usap naman kami sa kanila (We’ve been talking to them).”

Arum, in a statement, said for Pacquiao’s fights in the United States, Top Rank withheld 30 percent of the boxing champ’s prize money and paid “directly to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).”

“Top Rank has deposit confirmations for each payment. Top Rank has done the same for all U.S. endorsements it has facilitated on Manny’s behalf,” Arum said.

He added that Top Rank “submitted copies of the EFT deposit acknowledgements to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) as proof of payment.”

“As I am sure people appreciate, obtaining certified copies of documents from the IRS takes time. Manny made the formal request to the IRS and we have every expectation that the necessary documents will be furnished to the BIR very soon,” Arum said.