BIR Ruling [DA-579-98]

December 24, 1998 BIR RULING [DA-579-98] Mr. Jose T. Jalandoni 6 Juno Street, Bel-Air II Makati City S i r : This refers to your letter dated October 7, 1998 requesting for certified true copies of the financial statements of Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC-TV-13) from 1981 to 1997 in connection with the on-going proceedings before the Securities and Exchange Commission entitled "Jose T. Jalandoon versus Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation. aisadc In reply, please be informed that Section 270 of the Tax Code of 1997 provides: "SEC. 270. Unlawful Divulgence of Trade Secrets . Except as provided in Section 71 of this Code and Section 26 of Republic Act Numbered 6388, any officer or employee of the Bureau of Internal Revenue who divulges to any person or makes known in any other manner than may be provided by law information regarding the business, income , or estate of any taxpayer, the secrets, operation, style or work, or apparatus of any manufacturer or producer, or confidential information regarding the business of any taxpayer, knowledge of which was acquired by him in the discharge of his official duties, shall, upon conviction for each act or omission, be punished by a fine of not less than Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000) but not more than One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000), or suffer imprisonment of not less than two (2) years but not more than five (5) years or both." (Emphasis supplied) Based on the foregoing, we regret to deny your request in view of the prohibition under Section 270 of the Tax Code of 1997. (BIR Ruling No. DA-1-98 dated January 6, 1998) Very truly yours, (SGD.) BEETHOVEN L. RUALO Commissioner of Internal Revenue