Philippines Suspends Tax Audits Due to Extortion Claims

The Philippines ordered the immediate suspension of all field audits and other related operations by the Bureau of Internal Revenue amid reports of harassment and extortion, according to a statement from the Department of Finance.

• The DOF is “committed to protecting our taxpayers from potential abuse through a comprehensive review of our existing policies and procedures,” says Finance Secretary Frederick Go
• The suspension applies to all BIR offices involved in audit and field operations, including the Large Taxpayers Service, Revenue Regions and District Offices, among others
• Urgent or legally mandated cases, such as active criminal investigations, will be exempted from ...