PNoy to Mikey: Show your income tax return

UPDATED 1:15 p.m. ROSALES, Pangasinan — Show your ITR (income tax return). This was the challenge posed Friday by President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to party-list Rep. Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo, who faces along with his wife, Angela, tax evasion charges filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). Mikey, eldest son of former President now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, has described as "harassment" the filing of the complaint. However, Aquino noted that the issue was that Mikey's income had increased but there was no proof that he paid taxes. He reiterated that his administration is not singling out the Arroyos and their allies. "We are not singling them out. There are actually greater tax deficiency collections and to that end, we have been filing cases as necessary so that tax collection efficiency ratio could be improved. Nagkataon umabot na po sa kanila," Aquino said. "Hindi na ako makikipagtalo. There is only one issue, he earned income, as stated in his Statement of Assets and Liabilities, but his ITR is nowhere to be found. Ipakita niya ang ITR niya," Aquino said. Aquino added that the ITR Mikey needs to present should be the one received by the BIR. "Ipakita lang ‘yung income tax return na tinanggap po naman ng gobyerno kasi pwede naman tayong kumuha ng form ngayon, biglang hindi mo naman ipinasa sa gobyerno, wala pong ifinile," he said. He further said that Mikey should not divert the issue. "May obligasyon kang magbayad nang buwis. Ang akusasyon, hindi ka nag-file man lang. So ulitin ko lang, marami pang sasabihin, simple lang naman: kung nagbayad ka ng buwis, ipakita mo ang income tax return mo tapos ang isyu," the President said. — Amita Legaspi/RSJ/VVP, GMA News