Tax evasion charges filed against GMA 7, Inquirer.net execs

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 3) — The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) filed a tax evasion case versus two media moguls.

In a media statement Thursday, the BIR announced it filed tax evasion cases against 11 companies, including the now defunct INQ7 Interactive Inc., through its executives Felipe Gozon and Paolo Prieto.

Gozon, the CEO of GMA Network, Inc., was implicated as a former chairperson of INQ7. Prieto, president of the Inquirer group, was implicated as INQ7 president.

According to the BIR, Prieto and Gozon have tax liabilities worth ₱23 million for the taxable year 2006.

INQ7 was the former partnership between GMA 7 and Inquirer, before the two companies built their respective online news platforms.

The cases were filed at the Department of Justice.

The following companies were also charged with tax cases:

- Ski Construction Group

- Prestige Cars Makat, Inc.

- Lucky Charm Pub & Restaurant Corp.

- Underground Logic Inc.

- JP Med Asian Pacific, Inc.

- Information Products Corp.

- Tridem Asia Publishing, Inc.

- Integrated Dynamic Services Inc.

- Calcarries International, Inc.

- Europbrokers International, Inc.

The BIR said the total tax liabilities among all these companies amount to ₱611 million.