Top Tax Rankings Criticized as Flawed

MANILA--Several lawmakers on Wednesday criticized the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) for coming out with a list of top 500 individual taxpayers led by Kris Aquino that they claimed were incomplete and inaccurate, reports Inquirer.net. Sen. Ralph Recto, head of the Senate ways and means committee, said the BIR should have advised the public that its top 500 list covered a small sample of individuals who filed their income tax returns and not the entire universe of Filipino taxpayers.  The list does not include the taxes paid by individuals from stock sales and dividends, and bank deposits. Kabataan Rep. Raymond Palatino said the list created not only confusion but also suspicion that the mega-rich were not paying their taxes correctly.