The House Committee on Ways and Means, chaired by representative Exequiel Javier, is blaming the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) for the latest wave of cigarette smuggling into the country

Two representatives presented samples of smuggled cigarettes displaying “official” BIR tax stamps. The allegedly smuggled Philip Morris cigarettes sell for 15 Philippine pesos (US$ 0.57) in the country, comparable in price to local cigarettes.
BIR Commissioner Vinzos-Chato’s statement that the tax stamp was counterfeit was dispelled by chief BIR investigator, Helen Quimpo, who said the stamps were real. Ms Quimpo claimed the smuggled cigarettes were imported by PM’s licensee La Suerte Cigar & Cigarette Corp. Mr Antonio Yao, vice president operations at La Suerte, said that the “smuggled” packs were actually brought in by La Suerte for registration with the patent office.