BIR issued tax audit authority to firm linked to Duterte's husband

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) confirmed on Friday that it had issued a Letter of Authority (LOA) to Cale88 Food Corporation, the firm linked to Vice President Sara Duterte's husband, Manases Carpio. BIR chief of staff Anne Loraine Garcia-Marquez made the disclosure during the 37th day of Senate proceedings related to Duterte's impeachment case.

A Letter of Authority is a standard tax document issued by the BIR that authorizes revenue officers to conduct examination and investigation of taxpayers' books of accounts and business records. The revelation came as lawmakers continued deliberations on charges brought against the Vice President.

The timing of the disclosure has drawn attention given the ongoing political developments surrounding Duterte and her administration. The BIR's confirmation provides details on routine tax compliance procedures involving entities associated with the Vice President's family.

Garcia-Marquez's statement represented an official accounting of the tax authority's actions concerning the corporation, clarifying the status of examination activities directed at the company.