Friend na negosyante, 'di raw tinulungan sa BIR…KRIS, TODO-DENY SA IBINULGAR NI GRETCHEN, TITA C

Vinia Vivar / FRANKLY SPEAKING

SUMAGOT na si Kris Aquino sa akusasyon ni Gretchen Barretto na inayos niya ang tax ng negosyanteng friend nilang si Alice Eduardo para bumaba ito. Nag-release na rin ng official statement ang kanyang mga lawyers regarding this matter na ipinost ng Social Media Queen sa kanyang Ins­tagram account last Sunday night.

Sa statement ng Divina Law Office (legal counsel ni Kris) na may titulong “SOCIAL MEDIA USERS’ MALICIOUS ALLEGATIONS AGAINST MS. KRIS AQUINO,” pinabu­laanan nila na nakialam si Kris sa tax case ni Ms. Eduardo.

“First, our client did not intervene for Ms. Eduardo in any pending tax case.

“Second, our client is a friend of Ms. Eduardo for seven years already, and she knows her to be a law abiding citizen. However, the personal relationship of our client with Ms. Eduardo does not extend to her business interests.

“Ms. Aquino has been in the entertainment industry for three decades, and in those three decades, the Filipino people are witnesses to her tireless dedication, hard work, and commitment to her craft, whether as a movie actress, game show host, talk show presenter, or a trusted product endorser.

“Ms. Aquino prides herself with the fact that, from the time she first entered the industry, she has faithfully obeyed and adhered to the rule imposed by her mother, former President Cory Aquino: TO REPORT HER INCOME ACCURATELY AND PAY TAXES TO THE LAST CENTAVO. It is through the responsible paying of taxes that she may honor the support given to her by the Filipino people.

“Individuals using social media to cause unjust vexation against our client, Ms. Aquino, should first do their due diligence when levying accusations about tax compliance, especially when they are not a party to any of the cases filed by our client, or those filed against our client,” ang kabuuan ng official statement.

Inilabas din ni Kris ang time­line ng kanyang mga taxes na binayaran mula 2008 hang­gang 2015 at ang mga amount nito sa bawat taon pati na kung pang-ilan siya sa ranking ng highest taxpayer. Ang total daw ng kanyang mga binayarang tax for 8 years ay P322,098,558.74.

Sa kanyang mahabang caption, ani Kris ay inilabas niya ang records na ito hindi para magyabang kundi para patunayan na hindi niya ipinagkakait sa mga Pilipino ang buwis na dapat niyang bayaran.

“To put things in context: Nilabas ang list ng top individual taxpayers for income earned in 2011, taxes paid in full April 15 up to July 15, 2012 nu’ng income tax season of April 2013, the same time His Highness, the Sultan of Brunei was in the Philippines, for a State Visit... @inquirerdot­net used this photo as their front page banner picture... Kung maniniwala ako sa fairytale, si Princess Intan hindi lang pala sa @crazyrichasians pwede maging royalty... Please chill? That was just super wishful thinking.

“8 years of certified BIR tax payments ang inilabas ko, hindi po para magyabang, pero para magpatunay, na kailanman ay hindi ko magagawang ipagkait sa (Pilipinas) at mga PILIPINO ang karapat-dapat at tamang buwis na dapat kong ibayad. P322,098,558.74 in paid taxes over 8 years, and i was already the top 8 taxpayer in 2008, a year before my mom died and 2 years before my brother became president.

“This post was simply a statement of easily verifiable BIR tax records...” ang kabuuan ng caption ni Kris.

Kapansin-pansin na no mention at all of Gretchen’s name sa naturang post although we all know na ang aku­sasyon ng dating aktres ang kanyang sinasagot.