QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte said rich businessmen like Lucio Tan should pay taxes.
In his speech made in front of the Filipino community in Doha, Qatar, the President said that there is a need to collect taxes to cover the expenses of government programs.
“In the fullness of God’s time, I am sure, as long as there is no corruption and I am able to get the taxes that these pigs refuse to pay… Lucio Tan has almost P30 billion. He has to pay. Everybody has to pay,” the President said.
He then pinpointed multi-billionaire Lucio Tan, saying that the businessman should pay back taxes amounting to Php 30 billion.
“Lucio Tan has almost billion, 30 billion. He has to pay. He has to pay. Lahat (All of them), they have to pay,” Duterte said.
Lucio Tan, who is listed among the richest Filipinos, is known as a tobacco magnate and the owner of the Philippine Airlines.
Duterte also said that rich people should also pay their taxes to the government. He also revealed that during his presidential campaign the business tycoon tried to give him money, but said that he refused the offer.
“These rich people should pay taxes. Like Lucio Tan, up to the last day of the campaign, he wanted to give me money. He kept on going after me, but I told him I don’t accept money. And so I won by six million votes,” Duterte added.
The President said that he wanted to be fair to everybody, thus nobody should get special treatment.
“Nobody gets special treatment, whether you are a Moro, Tausug, Bisaya…everybody is on equal footing,” he added.
He then said that he wanted to protect the Filipino people against the oligarchs. He also explained that he considered the rich people who evade paying their taxes as his enemies.
Ang Pilipinas, para ito sa mga taong naghirap. Kayo ang protektahan ko. Ang mayayaman, kalaban ko ‘yan,” he said.
