Former Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo is facing a P1-billion tax evasion complaint before the Department of Justice (DOJ) over her alleged failure to file income tax returns and explain assets and transactions linked to her from 2019 to 2023.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said the complaint involves alleged violations of the National Internal Revenue Code, particularly provisions on tax evasion and failure to file returns and pay taxes.
According to the BIR, Guo did not file annual income tax returns for five consecutive years despite records showing substantial assets, acquisitions, expenditures, and financial transactions under her name or connected to her.
The bureau estimated her income tax deficiency at more than P1.008 billion, including surcharges and interest.
The BIR said the investigation began after Guo’s appearance at a Senate hearing on May 22, 2024, which looked into the raid on a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator compound in Bamban.
During the hearing, Guo acknowledged ownership of several real properties, vehicles, and corporate interests. The BIR said her statements prompted investigators to review whether her declared income matched the assets and transactions attributed to her.
The bureau said its review identified real estate holdings, motor vehicles, a helicopter, bank transactions, shares of stock, and other acquisitions linked to Guo.
To determine possible undeclared income, the BIR used the expenditure method, which compares a taxpayer’s known spending and acquisitions with declared income. The bureau said the records submitted were not enough to explain the scale of the transactions and expenditures found during the probe.
Based on its findings, the BIR alleged that Guo had undeclared income and failed to pay the corresponding taxes.
The latest complaint adds to a separate tax case filed by the BIR in August 2024 involving the alleged non-payment of capital gains tax and documentary stamp tax over the transfer of Guo’s shares in Baofu Land Development Inc.
Guo is detained at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City following her conviction for qualified human trafficking.
The new case puts renewed focus on the financial trail behind the Bamban POGO controversy, particularly whether Guo’s income declarations could support the properties, corporate interests, and transactions linked to her.