A lawmaker said allegations of illicit trade done by Mighty Corp and other local companies in the tobacco industry are mere hype and propaganda, raised by some disgruntled industry players and should not be a concern of Congress or other government agencies.
“All the data thus far on the alleged illicit trade in the tobacco industry are those culled from studies and surveys commissioned by a private company that holds a grudge against a competitor. This can hardly be considered a basis for any kind of probe or review,” Valenzuela Second District Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo said.
“Corporate battles shouldn’t be a national concern unless laws are being broken. But in the case of the tobacco industry, we haven’t seen any official document or data to support the allegations of illicit trade,” he said.
Gunigundo cautioned against falling prey to “corporate propaganda,” after a foreign manufacturer called for third-party monitoring of the production facilities of tobacco companies.
“We shouldn’t even be entertaining these things. We cannot and should not give credence to such proposals. They are self-serving and manipulative, and the people pushing it must think we Filipinos are stupid,” Gunigundo said.
Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares had rejected the proposal outright, saying there was no need for it.
She also said the proposal violated the National Revenue Code, stating only the commissioner and the officers could be involved in excise tax functions and doing functions of surveillance (NIRC Section 270 in relation to Section 278).
“All the data thus far on the alleged illicit trade in the tobacco industry are those culled from studies and surveys commissioned by a private company that holds a grudge against a competitor. This can hardly be considered a basis for any kind of probe or review,” Valenzuela Second District Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo said.
“Corporate battles shouldn’t be a national concern unless laws are being broken. But in the case of the tobacco industry, we haven’t seen any official document or data to support the allegations of illicit trade,” he said.
Gunigundo cautioned against falling prey to “corporate propaganda,” after a foreign manufacturer called for third-party monitoring of the production facilities of tobacco companies.
“We shouldn’t even be entertaining these things. We cannot and should not give credence to such proposals. They are self-serving and manipulative, and the people pushing it must think we Filipinos are stupid,” Gunigundo said.
Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares had rejected the proposal outright, saying there was no need for it.
She also said the proposal violated the National Revenue Code, stating only the commissioner and the officers could be involved in excise tax functions and doing functions of surveillance (NIRC Section 270 in relation to Section 278).