Palace to study SC decision affirming VAT on tollway rates

Malacañang will study the Supreme Court’s decision affirming the value-added tax on tollway fees before acting on reported calls by groups to ease the burden on motorists and commuters. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Palace cannot take specific actions until its lawyers determine the conditions surrounding the decision. “I think that is something that has to be considered, that is something that has to be studied. Kahapon lang lumabas ang decision. Our lawyers are waiting for a copy of the decision para mapag-aralan ito at mabigyan ng necessary advice ang pangulo," she said on government-run dzRB radio. Valte was responding to reports that some transport groups had asked President Benigno Aquino III to spare the transport sectors from the impact of VAT on tollway fees. She also said the Palace will “take a look at all sides" of the matter. “It is hard to comment further without reading the decision in its entirety," she said. The high court earlier upheld the legality of Revenue Memorandum Circular 63-2010 issued by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on July 13 last year. The memo imposes the value-added tax on all tollway operators. — LBG, GMA News