Ligots missing after arrest order

MANILA, Philippines - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima yesterday said she would order a manhunt for former military comptroller Jacinto Ligot and his wife Erlinda after the couple reportedly went missing following the issuance of an arrest order by the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) for tax evasion.

“This case is important because it’s very rare that officials get jailed for tax evasion and we want to show that our efforts are really paying off,” De Lima said. “I will direct a manhunt, if necessary.”

De Lima said she received a report that the CTA failed to serve the arrest warrant on the Ligot couple.

The CTA’s Second Division had ordered the arrest of the Ligots on tax evasion charges filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

The court resolution was promulgated on Sept. 28 but was made public only yesterday.

The CTA’s Second Division, consisting of Associate Justices Juanito Castaneda Jr., Caesar Casanova and Cielito Mindaro-Grulla, has set bail at P20,000 each for the Ligots.

Based on a Return of Warrant of Arrest received by the CTA last Oct. 21, the Southern Metro Manila Criminal Investigation and Detection police team at Fort Bonifacio could not implement the warrant of arrest issued by the court.

The Return of Warrant of Arrest stated that the accused were not residents of the address stated – a condominium unit at the Essensa East Forbes in Taguig City.

Court officers also said they have no record on the Ligots’ lawyers, and have not received any pleading from the couple. They also have no information on the couple.

The Ligot couple is facing several tax evasion cases for violating Articles 254 and 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) for attempting to evade payment of tax from 2002 to 2004.

The three-page resolution of the CTA’s Second Division covers taxable year 2003 when they failed to report a total income of P165.4 million and as a result incurred a total deficiency tax of P153.2 million for the year, exclusive of interest and penalty charges.

The decision covers only one of four tax evasion charges filed against the Ligot couple at the CTA.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) earlier recommended the filing of charges against the Ligots for violation of Section 225 of the NIRC of 1997 for taxable year 2001, and for violation of Section 254 of the NIRC for 3 counts for taxable years 2002, 2003 and 2004.

Last March, the BIR filed a case against the couple for failing to declare their income of roughly P459.6 million from 2001 to 2004.

The BIR said the couple used this income to acquire several properties in the country and abroad.

Furthermore, the Ligots owed the government a combined tax deficiency of P428 million from 2003 to 2004, BIR data showed.

Of the P428 million, the retired general has a tax deficiency of P290.2 million while his wife owes the government P137 million.

The BIR said Mr. Ligot made several deposits and investments of substantial amounts, including two deposits of $1.288 million and $1.6 million with Citibank.

He also purchased several properties that included parcels of land in Malaybalay, Bukidnon and Rizal, a Paseo Parkview Tower II Condominium unit at Salcedo Village in Makati City and a luxury vehicle.

His wife Erlinda also made deposits and substantial investments, including a deposit of $200,000 with Citibank.

The military, on the other hand, said it would closely monitor the case of its former comptroller.

“The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is watching the progress of the case. This is rule of law taking its course and working,” AFP

spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said.

Burgos said the military is continuously improving its systems to prevent corruption.

“We will always cooperate with any investigation by any investigating body so long as the objective is to shed light and seek the truth,” he said.