Raising taxes to make up for plundered funds

So both houses of Congress have approved the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) bill that will raise more taxes to meet ever-increasing demands for public funds.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the TRAIN is now “ready to leave the station” and “is expected to result in a net gain of at least P130 billion” (“Congress raises taxes on fuel, cars, tobacco,” News, 12/13/17).

Good-for-nothing economists keep saying those reforms make sense. But, really, what is wrong with that picture? Public officials who abuse and misuse public office and should be punished for their plunder often get away with their loot!

Prime example are the Marcoses who, despite indubitable proof of their plunder during their kleptocratic rule from the ’70s to the ’80s, have never come close to being put in jail and have remained as filthy rich as ever.

Recent-day plunder indictees like former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (accused of stealing P366 million), former senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla (accused of stealing P172 million, P183 million and P224 million, respectively) have never had it so good in terms of “special treatment” while in detention for their nonbailable crimes.

And what are the chances of ever seeing Enrile, Estrada, Revilla and their ilk put in a real jail and ordered to give the money back to the people?

As in the case of Arroyo, zero!

But our prison doors are always wide open for the likes of those accused of “stealing food worth P31.50” (Editorial, 12/16/17)!

So, the Filipino people are now being taxed more to make up for the massive loss of revenue stolen by and never recovered from plunderers! Damn this government!

GABRIELLE MICHELLE M. AGUILLERA,

[email protected]