G.R. No. 212530 - BLOOMBERRY RESORTS AND HOTELS, INC., VS. BUREAU OF INTERNAL REVENUE, REPRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER KIM S. JACINTO-HENARES.DECISION - Supreme Court E-Library

Ruling

Accordingly, the income tax exemption ordained under Section 27(c) of R.A. No. 8424 clearly pertains only to [PAGCOR's] income from operation of related services. Such income tax exemption could not have been applicable to [PAGCOR's] income from gaming operations as it is already exempt therefrom under P.D. No. 1869, as amended, to wit: SECTION 13. Exemptions. X X X X (2) Income and other taxes. (a) Franchise Holder: No tax of any kind or form, income or otherwise, as well as fees, charges or levies of whatever nature, whether National or Local, shall be assessed and collected under this Franchise from the Corporation; nor shall any form of tax or charge attach in any way to the earnings of the Corporation, except a Franchise Tax of five (5%) percent of the gross revenue or earnings derived by the Corporation from its operation under this Franchise. Such tax shall be due and payable quarterly to the National Government and shall be in lieu of all kinds of taxes, levies, fees or assessments of any kind, nature or description, levied, established or collected by any municipal, provincial, or national government authority. Indeed, the grant of tax exemption or the withdrawal thereof assumes that the person or entity involved is subject to tax. This is the most sound and logical interpretation because [PAGCOR] could not have been exempted from paying taxes which it was not liable to pay in the first place. This is clear from the wordings of P.D. No. 1869, as amended, imposing a franchise tax of five percent (5%) on its gross revenue or earnings derived by [PAGCOR] from its operation under the Franchise in lieu of all taxes of any kind or form, as well as fees, charges or levies of whatever nature, which necessarily include corporate income tax. In other words, there was no need for Congress to grant tax exemption to [PAGCOR] with respect to its income from gaming operations as the same is already exempted from all taxes of any kind or form, income or otherwise, whether national or local, under its Charter, save only for the five percent (5%) franchise tax. The exemption attached to the income from gaming operations exists independently from the enactment of R.A. No. 8424. To adopt an assumption otherwise would be downright ridiculous, if not deleterious, since [PAGCOR] would be in a worse position if the exemption was granted (then withdrawn) than when it was not granted at all in the first place. [20] (Emphasis supplied) Furthermore, Second. Every effort must be exerted to avoid a conflict between statutes; so that if reasonable construction is possible, the laws must be reconciled in the manner. As we see it, there is no conflict between P.D. No. 1869, as amended, and R.A. No. 9337. The former lays down the taxes imposable upon [PAGCOR], as follows: (1) a five percent (5%) franchise tax of the gross revenues or earnings derived from its operations conducted under the Franchise, which shall be due and payable in lieu of all kinds of taxes, levie