Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation v. Bureau of Customs G.R. No. 209830 June 17, 2015
Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation v. Bureau of Customs G.R. No. 209830 June 17, 2015
Bureau of Customs
G.R. No. 209830
June 17, 2015
Facts:
The Bureau of Customs filed a collection suit against Mitsubishi Motors
for the amount of P46,844,385.00 for unpaid taxes and customs duties for its
several importations made during 1997-1998. Mitsubishi Motors, during that
time, purchased Tax Credit Certificates (TCC) in the same amount mentioned
which it in turn used to pay for the taxes and customs duties due on their
importations on said period. The Department of Finance discovered during a
post-audit investigation that the TCCs were fraudulently secured and thus
Mitsubishi Motors never covered their tax obligations. The collection case
was filed in the RTC which ruled in favor of Mitsubishi Motors for the Bureau
of Customs failure to prove the fraud. The Bureau of Customs appealed to
the CA, who in turn referred the case to the CTA instead of dismissing the
same for lack of jurisdiction. Mitsubishi Motors now contends that the CA
should have dismissed the case as it cannot take any action over the matter
since it does not have jurisdiction over the subject matter of the case.
Issue:
Whether or not the case should have been referred to the CTA?
Ruling:
Republic Act 1125 as amended by Republic Act 9282 specifically gave
the CTA exclusive appellate jurisdiction over appeals from the judgments,
resolutions or orders of the Regional Trial Courts in tax collection cases
originally decided by them in their respective territorial jurisdiction. Thus, the
case falls within the exclusive jurisdiction of the CTA. The Bureau of Customs
failed to appeal the case from the RTC to the CTA within 30 days from
receipts of the RTCs ruling therefore making the RTCs dismissal of its case
final and executory.
franchise agreement. Accordingly, PAL is left with no other option but to pay
its basic corporate income tax, the payment of which shall be in lieu of all
other taxes, except VAT, and subject to certain conditions provided in its
charter.