Mercury Drug owner is top taxpayer in 2012 – BIR

Vivian Que-Azcona, owner of the largest drugstore chain Mercury Drug, is now the biggest tax payer in the Philippines, knocking Presidential sister and celebrity endorser Kris Aquino from the top spot. 

 

According to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) list of top taxpayers in 2012, Que-Azcona paid a P131.43 million in taxes. 

 

The drugstore owner was followed by entertainer Willy Revillame who paid P63.9 million in taxes. 

 

Top lawyer Estelito Mendoza landed in third place with P53.59 million, and the fourth was Insular Life chairman Vicente Rafael Ayllon who settled P52.3 million. 

 

A certain Gerardo Sebastian Baes, shelling out P47.9 million in taxes, rounded out the Top 5 tax payers of 2012. 

 

Kris Aquino, sister of President Benigno S. Aquino III and 2011's top tax payer, landed on the sixth spot with P44.9 million in tax payments. 

 

Property Developer Ronaldo Soliman paid P42.79 million to make seventh on the list.  

 

Celebrities John Lloyd Cruz who paid P42.79 million ranked 8th and Sharon Cuneta-Pangilian paid  P42.02 million and made it to the 9th place.  

 

At 10th and 11th were businessmen-brothers Fernando Zobel de Ayala and Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, who paid P40.84 million and P40.77 million in taxes.

 

Media moguls 

 

GMA Network Inc. chairman and chief executive officer Atty. Felipe L. Gozon ranked 41st after paying the BIR P20.905 million, while GMA president and chief operating officer Gilberto R. Duavit Jr. ranked 61st for settling P18.24 million in taxes.

 

ABS-CBN Corp.'s Oscar Lopez paid P33.47 million and made it to the 17th spot.  

 

Associated Broadcasting Company's owner Manuel V. Pangilinan was in 30th place for paying P24.67 million. – Siegfrid Alegado/VS, GMA News