SICK is the Mnemonics of the following:
- Surcharges,
- Interests,
- Compromises, and
- Kickback
SURCHARGES
NIRC SEC. 248. – Civil Penalties. (A) There shall be imposed, in addition to the tax required to be paid, a penalty equivalent to twenty-five percent (25%) of the amount due, in the following cases:
(1) Failure to file any return and pay the tax due thereon as required under the provisions of this Code or rules and regulations on the date prescribed; or
(2) Unless otherwise authorized by the Commissioner, filing a return with an internal revenue officer other than those with whom the return is required to be filed; or
(3) Failure to pay the deficiency tax within the time prescribed for its payment in the notice of assessment; or
(4) Failure to pay the full or part of the amount of tax shown on any return required to be filed under the provisions of this Code or rules and regulations, or the full amount of tax due for which no return is required to be filed, on or before the date prescribed for its payment.
INTERESTS
NIRC SEC. 249. Interest. – (A) In General. – There shall be assessed and collected on any unpaid amount of tax, interest at the rate of twenty percent (20%) per annum, or such higher rate as may be prescribed by rules and regulations, from the date prescribed for payment until the amount is fully paid.
COMPROMISES
NIRC SEC. 255. Failure to File Return, Supply Correct and Accurate Information, Pay Tax Withhold and Remit Tax and Refund Excess Taxes Withheld on Compensation. – Any person required under this Code or by rules and regulations promulgated thereunder to pay any tax make a return, keep any record, or supply correct the accurate information, who willfully fails to pay such tax, make such return, keep such record, or supply correct and accurate information, or withhold or remit taxes withheld, or refund excess taxes withheld on compensation, at the time or times required by law or rules and regulations shall, in addition to other penalties provided by law, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than Ten thousand pesos (P10,000) and suffer imprisonment of not less than one (1) year but not more than ten (10) years.
Any person who attempts to make it appear for any reason that he or another has in fact filed a return or statement, or actually files a return or statement and subsequently withdraws the same return or statement after securing the official receiving seal or stamp of receipt of internal revenue office wherein the same was actually filed shall, upon conviction therefor, be punished by a fine of not less than Ten thousand pesos (P10,000) but not more than Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000) and suffer imprisonment of not less than one (1) year but not more than three (3) years.
KICKBACKS
No section in the Tax Code discusses about this type of payment which we call KICKBACK, “KOTONG” S.O.P., FACILITATION FEE, or simply a BRIBE.
How do you avoid the SICK System of Taxation?
In my opinion, there are two ways we can avoid the SICK System of Taxation. At one hand, the answer should be through “Effective Tax Management”. That we have to play the rules of tax which are currently in placed in the current taxing system.
On the other, avoiding the sick system of taxation should be through continuous tax reform, development, and amendment of the National Internal Revenue Code of The Philippines. That we need to rely on our legislative body to promote the taxpayers’ welfare without compromising sustainability of government operations.
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