Padlocked business establishments finally reopen today
ROXAS CITY – The Black and White Supermart and its drug store along Burgos Street this city will finally reopen today as the closure order made by Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) already lapsed on Wednesday.
Earlier, Mr. Leny Albert Apaitan told The News Today (TNT) that his business establishment would reopen Wednesday (Sept. 2) but due to some reasons beyond his control, the reopening is scheduled today.
Apaitan said that he was able to pay some P1 million as initial payment of taxes while the rest of P64 million which he questioned will be subjected for negotiation for appeal and consideration.
Earlier, various business organizations passed a resolution of support and sympathy to the Apaitan family owners of Black & White Supermart and B&W Drug Store which were paclocked by BIR’s Oplan Kandado last week.
They are: Roxas City Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Capiz Halaran Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Capiz Citizens Action Group (Volunteer Fire Fighting Brigade), Capiz Transport Multi-Purpose Cooperative (Operator of Capiz Cabs Taxi), Capiz Visitors and Convention Bureau, Inc.; Capiz Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Council; and members of the business sector of Roxas City and Capiz
Apaitan expressed disbelief that their tax liability covering January 2008 to March 2009 as declared by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) reached to P64 million.
In a press release sent to the media here, Apaitan said that it is impossible for a small store like theirs to have such a very high tax obligation.
“There is no way we can ever pay such overwhelming tax charges,” he lamented.
Apaitan, president of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce Capiz Chapter, said that he is a law-abiding citizen with a high-paying tax record and has no record of tax evasion which according to him, the local BIR can vouch for his claim.
According to him, he respected the said finding as they submitted themselves for further scrutiny and made representation to the BIR-Capiz District Officer to negotiate for an amendment to the above tax charges where the BIR agreed on it before the end of August.
However, he lamented that despite such agreement of the amended deal, BIR-Manila effected a closure order.