BIR wins P5.7-B tax evasion case vs illicit cigarette traders

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has secured a major victory in a P5.7-billion tax evasion case after the Department of Justice (DOJ) ruled in its favor.

- JUN RAMIREZ and JEFFREY DAMICOG

The case, which the BIR filed in February, resulted in the DOJ filing two criminal charges before the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) on March 13, 2025.

Charge sheets released by the DOJ showed that two separate cases were filed before the CTA for unlawful possession of articles subject to excise tax without payment under Section 263 of Republic Act (RA) 8424, the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended.

In one case, it said that accused Zizhan Pan, Zili Pan, and Ziquing were charged with tax evasion amounting to P5,532,080,400 in connection with 14,255 master cases of cigarettes found on Apolonia Street in Mapulang Lupa, Valenzuela City.