The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) recently oversaw the destruction and disposal of seized illicit cigarette products from thirty-one (31) enforcement operations conducted by BIR Revenue Region (RR) No. 16, Cagayan de Oro City, with support from the National Bureau of Investigation – Northern Mindanao Regional Office, the Philippine National Police (PNP), and local barangay officials.
The 31 Mission Orders were issued by the authorized official of BIR Revenue Region (RR) No. 16, Cagayan de Oro City to its personnel for surveillance, aimed at verifying the authenticity of internal revenue stamps. This was conducted without prejudice to the confiscation and forfeiture of untaxed cigarette products seized in separate operations within the jurisdiction of RR No. 16, Cagayan de Oro City.
A total of 254,260 packs of cigarette products were confiscated and forfeited for disposal by the BIR pursuant to Revenue Memorandum Order (RMO) No. 16-2023, with an aggregate unpaid excise tax of about ₱ 156,252,442.50.
Appropriate criminal complaints have already been filed against the perpetrators for violations of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended, under Sections 130 and 236, as penalized under Sections 258, 255, 263 and 265.
On March 14, 2025, Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. issued Notices of Destruction for the confiscated items, which were then served to the taxpayers or their authorized representatives in accordance with Revenue Memorandum Order (RMO) No. 33-2024.
Witnessing the destruction proceedings at the DiGaMa Waste Management Facility located at Zone 6, Brgy. Bayabas, Cagayan de Oro City were BIR RR16 Officials and personnel headed by RD Aynie E. Mandajoyan and ARD Helen T. Abellanosa, NBI officials, COA representatives, representatives from DiGaMa and the media.
This is in line with Commissioner Lumagui’s priority program of nationwide raid of illicit cigarettes, vapes and other excisable articles, which aims to maximize excise tax collection and enhances voluntary compliance by addressing the illegal trade of such excisable articles.
