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MANILA, Philippines – Passage of the amendatory bill for the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) may be stalled as Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile opposed the inclusion of tax evasion as a predicate crime.
In an interview before the session began on Tuesday, Enrile said some senators had approached him on Monday asking for a caucus on the inclusion of tax evasion as a predicate crime before continuing the deliberations on AMLA amendments.
The Senate chief sounded cool to the idea. Enrile warned that if tax evasion is included as a predicate crime in AMLA, such may be abused for political purposes.
“Some people are alarmed, since it [could] be used for oppression,” Enrile said.
A senators caucus on the matter has been set on Wednesday.
Enrile said the government does not need tax evasion as a predicate crime in money laundering activities since the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has vast powers to go after tax evaders.
“My God, tax evasion is the function of the entire bureaucracy, that is the Bureau of Internal Revenue. They have plenty of powers to run after tax evaders,” Enrile said.
“As far as I am concerned, they can always scrutinize my taxes, they have all the time to look into [my tax filings],” he added.
Also, Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III confirmed that the Senate will call for all senators’ caucus on Wednesday to discuss among others the inclusion of tax evasion in the AMLA amendments.
“With the request of Senator (Manny) Villar, the Senate has moved the deliberation of AMLA amendments after a caucus tomorrow (Wednesday),” Sotto said.
Despite his reservations about including tax evasion as a predicate crime, Enrile assured proponents of the AMLA amendatory bill of quick passage of the measure, but added that he wanted a thorough study of the matter before approval.
“We will try our best to do everything we have to do, but we are not rushing; we have to study this bill, we have to scrutinize things we do here,” Enrile said.
He said senators were not engaged in a popularity contest, but must study to the best of their abilities what is good for their constituents.
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