Manila: The Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced the filing of 18 criminal charges before the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) against two corporations, Buenviaje Builders, Inc. (E.D. Buenviaje) and Synergy Sales International Corporation (SSIC), for alleged tax evasion.

According to Philippines News Agency, the charges were initiated following a preliminary investigation of complaints submitted by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). The BIR accused the firms of engaging in transactions with ghost companies, Buildforce Trading, Inc., and Decarich Supertrade Inc., which were allegedly set up to issue fraudulent receipts. These receipts were purportedly used to substantiate fictitious claims and expense deductions, unlawfully reducing the firms' tax liabilities.

The DOJ stated that there is prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction against the corporations and their officers: Ernesto S.D. Buenviaje and Ruselle Anne Buenviaje of E.D. Buenviaje, and Arthur See and Betty Lim See of SSIC. They were charged with violating Sections 254 and 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code, which pertain to attempts to evade taxes and failure to provide correct and accurate information, respectively.

The civil liability resulting from these violations is estimated to be around PHP73.327 million, not including legal increments. In a related development in 2022, the DOJ found probable cause to file criminal cases against the ghost companies, Buildforce Trading, Inc., and Decarich Supertrade Inc., for their involvement in the receipt syndicate operations.