Ilonggo businessman Rommel Ynion was sentenced by the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) to up to 15 years in prison for under declaring his income.

The housing and building contractor was also ordered to pay the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) P198 million in income tax, value-added tax (VAT) and delinquency interests.

The court’s Second Division found Ynion guilty of “massive under-declaration of earnings.”

Ynion, based on a 58-page resolution penned by Associate Justice Jean Marie Bacorro-Villena, under declared his income by 24 to 175 percent for the years 2006, 2008 and 2010.

According to tax fraud investigations, Ynion, who owns Hoksing Builders of Paranaque, “deliberately missed in filing the quarterly VAT returns.”

The accused claimed that he has no knowledgeable about accounting and taxation. He said he entrusted the matters to his accountant.

Ynion, in a statement sent to media on Wednesday, Dec. 11, said he have availed of the tax amnesty. 

“The tax amnesty has been fully settled and in the near future, these tax cases will be resolved and dismissed,” he said

“There are no grey areas in Tax Amnesty Law signed by the President earlier this year. It is very clear: The tax amnesty, once fully complied with, frees the accused from all criminal and civil liabilities,” Ynion added.IMT