MANILA, Philippines鈥擳he Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) accused Janet Lim-Napoles and husband Jaime Napoles of delaying the proceedings in their tax-evasion case pending before the Department of Justice.
On Tuesday鈥檚 second preliminary investigation, lawyer Chris Saunar of the BIR urged the Department of Justice panel to submit the case for resolution and consider the Napoles couple to have waived their right to air their side by submitting a counter-affidavit.
The Napoles couple again failed to appear during Tuesday鈥檚 preliminary investigation. Instead, another lawyer, Francisco Tolentino, appeared on their behalf and sought another extension to submit their counter affidavit.
鈥淐onsidering that this is already a second setting鈥ow asking another postponement, so as not to further delay the proceedings, we move to submit this case for resolution,鈥 the BIR counsel said.
The government is running after P44.68-million unpaid taxes from Napoles and P16.43-million聽tax聽liability from her husband.
But the DoJ, through Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Edna Valenzuela said 鈥渋n the interest of justice, we will give respondents until聽Nov. 19.鈥
Valenzuela said聽Nov. 19聽is the last deadline set for the Napoles couple.
On the other hand, the DoJ gave Jeane Catherine Napoles also up to the 19th聽to submit her counter affidavit on the separate P32.06 million tax-evasion complaint by the BIR.
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