Philippines Top Court Says Tax Reform Law Is Constitutional

The Philippine Supreme court upholds constitutionality of a tax reform law that lowered income taxes and raised levies on some items, it says in a statement.

• Petitioners had said the tax reform law carries provisions imposing excise taxes on diesel, coal, LPG and kerosene which “were prohibited regressive taxes” and discriminate against the poor
• Court says “the Constitution, in its present form, does not prohibit the imposition of regressive taxes, but merely directs Congress to evolve a progressive system of taxation”
• Petitioners’ contention that the provisions are anti-poor was not sufficiently proven and remained largely hypothetical, it adds
• NOTE: In ...