SC reminds notaries public not to charge extra for digitized notarial entries
Other Relevant Tax Updates:
- TAX & BUSINESS-RELATED NEWS [JUNE 10-16]
- BIR CIRCULARIZES THE GUIDELINES ON THE PAYMENT & AFFIXTURE OF LOOSE DOCUMENTARY STAMPS ON NOTARIZED DOCUMENTS
- CTA CASES
I. TAX & BUSINESS-RELATED NEWS [June 10-16]
- FEU launches Pampanga campus
- NEA tasked to help co-ops secure green energy requirements
- Bloomberry Resorts shares surge after gaming platform launch
- Palm oil plantation in NegOcc urged to halt earth-moving ops
- Lucia Land hit by weaker property demand
- New round of Naia terminal reassignments set
- Canned sardines industry warns of reduced supply amid soaring production costs
- Luzon-Mindanao RoRo freight service launched
- BCDA, AMA Land eye housing venture in New Clark City
- Registration for 12% digital VAT extended
- IT-BPM industry bracing for EDSA rehab impact
- Filinvest hosts Qatar Airways’ first Philippine office
- Graduate pool keeps IT-BPM in ‘good shape’
- GMA Network declines TAPE’s settlement offer
- SEC chief wants GOCCs to list on stock market
- Qantas to close Asian budget airline Jetstar
- SC reminds notaries public not to charge extra for digitized notarial entries
- Pamalakaya to DENR: Uphold suspension order on Manila Bay reclamation
- SEC chief Lim mulls lowering fees for MSMEs
II. BIR CIRCULARIZES THE GUIDELINES ON THE PAYMENT & AFFIXTURE OF LOOSE DOCUMENTARY STAMPS ON NOTARIZED DOCUMENTS
Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 56-2025, dated June 10, 2025, amends certain provisions of RMC No. 92-2024 on the payment and affixture of loose documentary stamps to taxable documents prior to notarization. The circular is in reference to the Memorandum issued by the Supreme Court dated November 15, 2024, reminding notaries public to strictly comply with the Tax Code requiring the affixture of Documentary Stamp Tax (DST) on jurat or acknowledgment to any document subject to DST.
Highlights include guidelines on the payment and affixture of Loose Documentary Stamps and prohibition on notarization of taxable documents without required Documentary Stamps.
III. CTA CASES
THE REVISED RULES OF THE CTA (RRCTA), BEING A SPECIAL LAW, PREVAIL OVER THE RULES ON EXPEDITED PROCEDURES IN THE FIRST LEVEL COURTS, BEING A GENERAL LAW
The Petitioner, Jollibee Foods Corporation, filed a Petition for Certiorari assailing the Order of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) – Parañaque City-Branch 294, affirming the Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC) Decision denying the Motion for Reconsideration (MR) for being a prohibited pleading under the Rules on Expedited Procedures in the First Level Courts. The Petitioner argued that there is no plain, speedy, and adequate remedy available to the Petitioner ascribing grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction when the RTC granted the Respondent City of Paranaque’s MR and affirmed the MeTC decision. The Respondent countered that there is no grave abuse of discretion in declaring the MR as a prohibited pleading under the Rules on Expedited Procedures in the First Level Courts. In ruling, the Court held that the Petition for Certiorari should be dismissed on the ground of lack of jurisdiction. The Court clarified that between the law and rules governing the CTA, being a special law, should prevail over the Rules on Expedited Procedures in the First Level Courts, being a general rule of proceeding governing first-level courts. Since there is a plain, speedy, and adequate remedy against the assailed Order of the court a quo, which is to file a Petition for Review before the CTA, as provided under the rules governing the CTA, the Petitioner’s immediate resort to Certiorari under Rule 65 is improper and should merit no consideration from the Court. Thus, the Petition for Certiorari is DISMISSED for lack of jurisdiction. [JOLLIBEE FOODS CORPORATION VS BRANCH 294 – REGIONAL TRIAL COURT, PARAÑAQUE CITY, THE CITY OF PARAÑAQUE & DR. ANTHONY L. PULMANO IN HIS CAPACITY AS CITY TREASURER, CTA SCA CASE NO. 0012, JUNE 3, 2025]
INORDINATE DELAY IN THE RESOLUTION & TERMINATION OF THE CASE VIOLATES THE ACCUSED’S RIGHT TO DUE PROCESS & SPEEDY DISPOSITION OF CASES, WHICH MAY RESULT IN ITS DISMISSAL
The Petitioner, People of the Philippines, filed a Motion for Reconsideration (MR), seeking to reverse the Court En Banc’s Decision denying the Petitioner’s Petition for Review. The Petitioner argued that the Court’s interpretation of the five (5)-year prescriptive period provided under Section 281 of the Tax Code commencing upon discovery of the violation and the institution of judicial proceedings for its investigation and punishment and tolled only by the filing of Information before the court is misplaced. The Petitioner maintains that the filing of the Joint-Complaint Affidavit (JCA) before the Department of Justice (DOJ) for preliminary investigation interrupted the running of the 5-year prescriptive period. On the other hand, the Respondent, Ziegfried Loo Tian, asserts that the right of the government to prosecute him has already prescribed, applying the ruling in the case of Lim, Sr. In addition, the Respondent argues that the case must be dismissed for violation of his constitutional right to speedy disposition of cases, as the prosecution of the case took more than ten (10) years from the filing of the JCA to the filing of the Information in Court. In ruling, the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) En Banc held that the right of the government to institute the case against the Respondent had not yet prescribed when the Information was filed, on the basis that the 5-year prescriptive period began to run upon the discovery of the Respondent’s violation and the institution of judicial proceedings for preliminary investigation when the JCA of the concerned Revenue Officers was referred to the DOJ. However, the Court further held that the prolonged and unjustified delay of more than ten (10) years between the filing of the JCA and the subsequent filing of the Information before the First Division constitutes an inordinate delay in the resolution and termination of the case, which the Prosecution failed to justify as reasonable. Thus, the delay constitutes a violation of the Respondent’s constitutional right to speedy disposition of cases, warranting its dismissal. Consequently, the case was PARTIALLY GRANTED, declaring that the offense charged has not prescribed, but the criminal case is DISMISSED for violation of the Respondent’s right to speedy disposition of cases. [PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES VS. ZIEGFRIED LOO TIAN, CTA EN BANC CRIMINAL CASE NO. 119, MAY 30, 2025]
FEU launches Pampanga campus [The Philippine Star, June 16, 2025]
Far Eastern University (FEU) is expanding its academic footprint in Central Luzon with the official launch of FEU Pampanga in partnership with UNILAB Education under a new venture, Higher Academia Inc. (HAI).
https://www.philstar.com/business/2025/06/16/2450313/feu-launches-pampanga-campus
NEA tasked to help co-ops secure green energy requirements [Philippine Daily Inquirer, June 16, 2025]
Department Order No. 2025-06-0008 tasked the NEA to promulgate guidelines on the conduct of a competitive selection process (CSP) to ensure that co-ops are complying with the Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS).
https://business.inquirer.net/530773/nea-tasked-to-help-co-ops-secure-green-energy-requirements
Bloomberry Resorts shares surge after gaming platform launch [BusinessWorld, June 16, 2025]
Bloomberry launched MegaFUNalo last week, entering the digital gaming space alongside established license holders such as BingoPlus, operated by Digiplus Interactive Corp.
Palm oil plantation in NegOcc urged to halt earth-moving ops [Inquirer Visayas, June 16, 2025]
In a letter dated June 5 addressed to Alfred Joseph Araneta, chief executive officer of Hacienda Asia Plantations Inc. (HAPI), Lacson urged the suspension of any operations within the Integrated Forest Management Agreement (IFMA) area until the company complies with government requirements, including securing an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2070903/palm-oil-plantation-in-negocc-urged-to-halt-earth-moving-ops
Sta. Lucia Land hit by weaker property demand [BusinessWorld, June 16, 2025]
LISTED property developer Sta. Lucia Land, Inc. (SLI) reported a 31% drop in first-quarter net income to P938.05 million from P1.35 billion a year earlier, as real estate sales declined.
New round of Naia terminal reassignments set [Philippine Daily Inquirer, June 16, 2025]
With the imminent construction of a new passenger hub at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), a terminal reassignment will be implemented to ensure efficient operations at the country’s primary gateway, according to the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA).
https://business.inquirer.net/530765/new-round-of-naia-terminal-reassignments-set
Canned sardines industry warns of reduced supply amid soaring production costs [ABS-CBN News, June 15, 2025]
The Canned Sardines Association of the Philippines has raised concerns over the potential decline in the availability of low-cost canned sardines in the market, citing the continued rise in production costs over the past several years.
Luzon-Mindanao RoRo freight service launched [GMA News Online, June 14, 2025]
The PPA said the direct Luzon to Mindanao RoRo service was an alternative route that aims to ease the traffic build up of trucks lining at ports near the San Juanico Bridge, which currently being repaired.
BCDA, AMA Land eye housing venture in New Clark City [Philippine Daily Inquirer, June 14, 2025]
The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) on Friday said it has partnered with the Aguiluz-led AMA Land, Inc. to conduct a sustainability study for a potential housing project in New Clark City.
https://business.inquirer.net/530539/bcda-ama-land-eye-housing-venture-in-new-clark-city
Registration for 12% digital VAT extended [The Philippine Star, June 13, 2025]
The BIR said the extension was due to the unavailability of the VAT on the digital services portal and the online registration and update system.
https://www.philstar.com/business/2025/06/13/2450102/registration-12-digital-vat-extended
IT-BPM industry bracing for EDSA rehab impact [Philippine Daily Inquirer, June 13, 2025]
“It’s certainly an issue and has caused some concern because much of our industry is already on hybrid work, reporting to the office two to three times a week on average,” said Jonathan Madrid, president of the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines.
https://business.inquirer.net/530363/it-bpm-industry-bracing-for-edsa-rehab-impact
Filinvest hosts Qatar Airways’ first Philippine office [Philippine Daily Inquirer, June 13, 2025]
In a stock exchange disclosure earlier this week, Gotianun-led Filinvest REIT Corp. (FILRT) said Qatar Aviation Services (QAS) would be housed within the Filinvest One tower at Northgate Cyberzone in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
https://business.inquirer.net/530374/filinvest-hosts-qatar-airways-first-ph-office
Graduate pool keeps IT-BPM in ‘good shape’ [BusinessWorld, June 12, 2025]
“We have over 600,000 graduates in the Philippines every year. And therefore, the IT-BPM industry is in very good shape,” EY GDS Philippines Location Leader Denchu Jose Decino on the sidelines of the Solaia: The IT-BPM Awards late Wednesday.
https://www.bworldonline.com/economy/2025/06/12/678942/graduate-pool-keeps-it-bpm-in-good-shape/
GMA Network declines TAPE’s settlement offer [GMA News Online, June 11, 2025]
The complaint stems from the respondents’ failure to remit advertising revenues collected from clients, which had been contractually assigned to GMA Network under a 2023 Assignment Agreement.
SEC chief wants GOCCs to list on stock market [BusinessWorld, June 11, 2025]
“There are laws that require companies, who avail of incentives, to go public. That’s not being fully implemented. We give you incentives, but you should share your blessings with the public. Unfortunately, that has not been done,” he said.
Qantas to close Asian budget airline Jetstar [Philippine Daily Inquirer, June 11, 2025]
The low-cost subsidiary will cease operations on July 31 as part of a “strategic restructure”, Qantas group chief executive Vanessa Hudson said.
https://business.inquirer.net/530002/qantas-to-close-asian-budget-airline-jetstar
SC reminds notaries public not to charge extra for digitized notarial entries [ABS-CBN News, June 10, 2025]
The SC said the amended rules shall become effective on June 21, 2025, 15 days after the June 6, 2025 publication in two newspapers of general circulation.
Pamalakaya to DENR: Uphold suspension order on Manila Bay reclamation [Inquirer.Net, June 10, 2025]
They believe the notice aims to “pave the way for the 420-hectare reclamation project of the Frabelle Fishing Corp. and the Bacoor City local government.”
SEC chief Lim mulls lowering fees for MSMEs [GMA News Online, June 10, 2025]
Newly installed Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chairperson and CEO Francis Lim is looking at lowering fees for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to encourage business registration and support growth of the sector.
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