The confidential tax issue against boxing legend Manny Pacquiao featured the news headlines for the past few weeks. Lately, after the wreath-laying ceremony at the Gat Andres Bonifacio Shrine in Manila, Vice President Jejomar Binay told Philstar reporter yesterday that the reason behind of Pacquiao’s tax issue is politics.

Binay quoted the main issue regarding the claimed of Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) about the proof of Paquiao’s payment of taxes in the United State for his earnings in boxing on the year 2008 and 2009.

“This issue has been investigated last two years by the BIR, and Paquiao’s camp have presented already the necessary evidence, the proof of tax payment in the US but the BIR disregarded the document,” Binay said.

Binay confided that politics is the reason behind why the BIR is very interested to pursue the tax claim against Pacquiao.

Pacquiao was surprised about the course of events.

After the fight in Macau, Pacquiao told Binay that he was surprised.

“Two weeks after May election, there were efforts that Pacquiao will be transferred to the other party, but he was not accepted, so with that reason he joined PDP-Laban, he said.

The alleged harassment of Manny was actually started since the time about two weeks after the Election Day last May 2013.

According to the BIR Pacquiao failed to present the evidence, the proof that he has paid taxes already in the US for his earnings in the year 2008 and 2009. That is the reason that the Court of Appeals garnished the asset of Pacquiao and freezes two banks accounts amounting to P1.1 million to pursue the P2.2 billion tax including surcharges and penalties.