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July 16, 2010
QUEZON CITY – The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) a criminal complaint for tax evasion in the amount of P22.5 million against a pawnshop owner. Charged was William Villarica, sole proprietor of the W Villarica Pawnshop chain, which maintains several branches in Caloocan City, Malabon City, Marikina City and Bulacan, Laguna and other provinces.
Villarica was charged for attempting to evade and willful failure to file income tax returns for the years 2002 to 2009. “We find it to be not just criminal, but perhaps also immoral, for a person that earns profits out of people in need of financial assistance, yet fails to do his one duty to the country and pay his proper taxes,” BIR Commissioner Kim Henares said.
Following a tip from a concerned citizen, operatives of the BIR’s National Investigation Division (NID) verified the tax records of Villarica. They found that from 1998 to 2009, Villarica’s aggregate tax payments amounted to only P25,607.25.