REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

COURT OF TAX APPEALS

QUEZON CITY
ENBANC
BANCO DE ORO UNIVERSAL
BANK,
Petitioner,
-versus-
COMMISSIONER OF
INTERNAL REVENUE,
Respondent.
C.T.A. EB No. 165
(C.T.A. CASE No. 6401)
Present:
Acosta, Presiding Justice,
Castaneda, Jr.,
Bautista,
Uy,
Casanova,
Palanca-Enriquez, JJ.
Promulgated:
x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -x
DE CI SION
CASTANEDA, JR., J.:
For review is the Decision of the First Division of the Court of Tax
Appeals (the Court in Division) dated September 19, 2005, which partially
granted petitioner's Petition for Review in C.T.A. Case No. 6401. The
Decision of the Court in Division was subsequently affirmed in a Resolution
promulgated by the same Division dated January 25, 2006.
DECISION
C.T.A. E.B. No. 165
Page 2 of 16
The Court in Division cancelled and set aside the deficiency
assessments for documentary stamp tax on petitioner's interbank call loans
for fiscal years 1996 and 1997 but affirmed the deficiency assessments for
documentary stamp tax on petitioner's Investment Savings Accounts. The
dispositive portion of the assailed Decision reads as follows:
"IN VI8N OF THE FOREGOING, the instant Petition for Review
is hereby PARTIALLY GRANTED. The assessments for deficiency
documentary stamp tax on petitioner's interbank call loans for fiscal
years 1996 and 1997 in the respective amounts of P437,839.80 and
P6,791,010.65 as well as the compromise penalties amounting to
PSO,OOO.OO for both fiscal years 1996 and 1997 are hereby
CANCELLED and SET ASIDE. However, the assessments for deficiency
documentary stamp tax on petitioner's Investment Savings Accounts
for the fiscal years 1996 and 1997 are hereby AFFIRMED.
Accordingly, petitioner is ORDERED TO PAY the respondent
the reduced amounts of P10,020,977.10 and P43,285,153.75 as
deficiency documentary stamp tax for fiscal years 1996 and 1997,
respectively, plus 20% delinquency interest computed from March 1,
2002 until full payment thereof pursuant to Section 249(C) of the
NIRC of 1997.
SO ORDERED."
The facts as found by the Court in Division are as follows:
"Petitioner is a domestic corporation duly registered with the
Securities and Exchange Commission and duly authorized by the
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) as a universal bank with principal
business address at No. 12 ADB Ave. cor. J. Vargas, Ortigas Center,
Pasig City (par. 1, Summary of Admitted Facts). Banco de Oro is the
surviving corporation, while Dao Heng Bank, Inc. (Dao Heng) was the
absorbed corporation, pursuant to the Articles and Plan of Merger
entered into by the two banks on October 30, 2000 and approved by
the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on February 27, 2001. On June 15,
2001, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued the
corresponding Certificate of Filing of the Articles and Plan of Merger.
Clause 1.4.4 of the Merger provides that "any pending claim, action or
proceeding brought by or against DHBI [Dao Heng] may be
prosecuted by or against BOO [Banco de Oro]." Dao Heng and Banco
de Oro, being one and the same after the merger, are hereafter
interchangeably referred to as the petitioner.
DECISION
C.T.A. E.B. No. 165
Page 3 of 16
Through Letter of Authority No. 000018567 dated July 27,
1998,_ respondent caused the examination of petitioner's books of
accounts/accounting records relative to the latter's all internal revenue
tax liabilities for the Fiscal Years (FYs) ended June 30, 1996 and June
30, 1997 (Exhibit 1; par. 6, Summary of Admitted Facts).
As a result of the investigation, petitioner received from
respondent on September 7, 1999 a Pre-Assessment Notice dated
August 30, 1999 (Exhi bit 4) informing petitioner about the proposed
assessment for the following deficiency taxes for FYs ended June 30,
1996 and June 30, 1997:
FY 1996 FY 1997
DEFICIENCY FINAL TAX- ONSHORE INCOME P27,151.57 P166,277.74
DEFICIENCY GROSS RECEIPTS TAX 466,444.61 12,681,188.35
DEFICIENCY DOCUMENTARY
STAMP TAX 10, 155,362. 73 49,443,518.05
On September 24, 1999, petitioner filed a protest letter
detailing therein the reasons why it disagreed with the findings of the
respondent (Exhibit 5).
On December 3, 1999, petitioner received from respondent
four Formal Assessment Notices and accompanying Formal Letters of
Demand, all dated December 1, 1999, this time assessing petitioner
for penalties for late payment of final withholding tax on onshore
income and deficiency documentary stamp tax (DST) for FYs 1996
and 1997, in the following amounts (pages 451-452 & 462-469, BIR
Records):
FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1996
ASSESSMENT NO. ST - FWT - 96-0100- 99
PENALTIES FOR LATE PAYMENT OF FWT- ONSHORE INCOME
Basic t ax
Add: 25% surcharge
Total
20% interest from 7-11-96 t o 8-10-96 (.016666)
Compromise penalty
Less: Basic tax paid dated 8-10-96
TOTAL AMOUNT DUE
P2,630.42
657.61
43.84
1,000.00
p 4,331.87
2,630.42
P1,701 .45
=======
ASSESSMENT NO. ST- DST-96-0101- 99
DEFICIENCY DST ( INDUSTRY ISSUE)
DECISION
C.T.A. E.B. No. 165
Page 4 of 16
Investment savings account (private bank)
Investment savings account (individual)
IBCL-term
Basis of DST
Rate of tax
DST due thereon
Add: 20% interest from 7-11-96 to 12-6-99 (.680554)
Compromise penalty
TOTAL AMOUNT DUE
FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30,1997
P1,046,333.34
3,972,939,584.67
175,000,000.00
P4,148,955,918.01
.30/200
P6,223,434.00
4,235,382. 90
25,000.00
P10,483,816.90
============
ASSESSMENT NO. ST- FWT- 97-0102- 99
PENALTIES FOR LATE PAYMENT OF FWT- ONSHORE INCOME
Basic Tax
Add: 25% surcharge
Total
20% interest from 7-11-97 to 8-11-97 (.016666)
Compromise penalty
Less: Basic tax paid dated 8-11-97
TOTAL AMOUNT DUE
P107,883.27
26,970.82
1,797.98
16,000.00
P152,652.07
107,883.27
P44,768.80
ASSESSMENT NO. ST- DST- 97- 0103- 99
DEFICIENCY DST ( INDUSTRY ISSUE)
Investment savings account (individual)
IBCL-term
Basis of DST
Rate of tax
DST due thereon
Add: 20% interest from 7-11-97 to 12-6-99 (.480554)
Compromise penalty
TOTAL AMOUNT DUE
P19,483,390,208.15
3,065,000,000.00
P22,548,390,208.15
.30/200
P33,822,585.60
16,253,578.80
25,000.00
P50,101,164.40
============
In a letter dated December 21, 1999 and received by
respondent on December 23, 1999, petitioner protested the
assessments for deficiency DST for FYs 19% and 1997 in the amounts
of P10,483,816.90 and P50,101,164.40 covered under Assessment
Notice Nos. ST-DST-96-0101-99 and ST-DST-97-0103-99, respectively
(pages 445-449, BIR Records; par. 9, Summary ri Admitted Facts).
On January 29, 2002, petitioner received a copy of
respondent's Final Decision on the disputed assessments, denying
petitioner's protest and ordering petitioner to pay the amounts of
P10,483,816.90 and P50,101,164.40 as deficiency DST for FYs 1996
DECISION
C.T.A. E.B. No. 165
Page 5 of 16
and 1997, respectively (pages 513-522, BIR Records; par. 10,
Summary of Admitted Facts).
On February 27, 2002 or within thirty (30) days from January
29, 2002, petitioner elevated its case before this Court."
1
As stated at the outset, the Court in Division cancelled the deficiency
assessments for documentary stamp tax on petitioner's interbank call loans
for fiscal years 1996 and 1997 in the respective amounts of P437,839.80 and
P6,791,010.65 as well as the compromise penalties imposed by respondent.
On the other hand, the Court in Division affirmed the deficiency assessments
for documentary stamp tax on petitioner's Investment Savings Accounts for
the fiscal years 1996 and 1997 in the respective amounts of P10,020,977.10
and P43,285,153.75.
In a Resolution promulgated on January 25, 2006, petitioner's Motion
for Partial Reconsideration of the Decision of the Court in Division was denied
for lack of merit.
Hence, petitioner filed a Petition for Review on March 9, 2006, within
the extended period, with the Court of Tax Appeals en bane (the Court en
bane) relying on the following grounds in support of its petition:
I. PETITIONER'S INVESTMENT SAVINGS
ACCOUNTS ARE NOT "DEPOSITS" SUBJECT
TO DOCUMENTARY STAMP TAX UNDER
SECTION 180 OF THE TAX CODE.
II. THE LEGISLATIVE INTENT BEHIND SECTION
180 OF THE TAX CODE IS TO EXCLUDE
SAVINGS DEPOSITS FROM ITS COVERAGE,
AS EVIDENCED BY THE RECENT ENACTMENT
OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9243.
1
Assailed Decision, pp. 1-4.
DECISION
C.T.A. E.B. No. 165
Page 6 of 16
PETITIONER'S ARGUMENTS
Petitioner argues that it is a well-settled principle that in order for any
tax to be due, there must be a law or legislative enactment that mandates the
imposition thereof. Thus, it must be shown that its Investment Savings
Account deposits covered by passbooks fall within the coverage of Section
180 of the tax code which respondent claims to be the basis of the
assessment for deficiency DST against petitioner. Petitioner maintains that
the documents that are subject to DST under Section 180 are those that
provide for the payment of money at a fixed period or maturity date, such as
promissory notes, government bonds and securities, and certificates of time
deposits. That in the banking industry, the term certificate of deposit refers
exclusively to a certificate of time deposit. Petitioner asserts that passbooks
being in the nature of orders for the payment of money at sight or on
demand are not certificates of deposit subject to DST under Section 180
because it does not have a maturity date unlike all the other documents
enumerated in Section 180. By express exclusion, passbooks do not appear
anywhere in Section 180 and since it is expressly excluded, passbooks cannot
be read into the law by implication or unauthorized interpretation. According
to the petitioner, passbooks have never been subjected to DST, simply and
clearly because they are not certificates and it is therefore erroneous to
conclude that its Investment Savings Accounts are covered by Section 180
and subject to tax thereunder merely because the same have features akin to
time deposits.
DECISION
C.T.A. E.B. No. 165
Page 7 of 16
Petitioner likewise argues that the legislative intent behind Section 180
of the tax code is to exclude savings deposits from the coverage thereof, as
evidenced by the recent enactment of Republic Act No. 9243 which shows
that during the years pertinent to the contested assessments, there was no
law imposing DST on (i) passbooks, (ii) passbooks covering deposits
withdrawable at any time, or (iii) passbooks covering deposits withdrawable
at any time with variable interest rates. According to the petitioner, Republic
Act No. 9243 clearly enlarges the scope of Section 180 because it now
subjects to DST not only the traditional certificates of time deposit, but also
other evidences of deposits that are drawing interest significantly higher than
the regular savings deposit taking into consideration the size of deposit and
the risks involved. Petitioner opines that the enactment of R.A. No. 9243 is
evidence of the legislature's intent to cover what was heretofore outside the
ambit of the law.
RESPONDENT'S ARGUMENTS
Respondent avers that the present Petition for Review raises the same
issues that have been extensively, sufficiently and squarely addressed and
resolved by this Honorable Court in its Decision dated September 19, 2005.
Hence, petitioner's petition for review should be dismissed for being pro-
forma and for lack of merit.
THIS COURT'S RULING
The present petition is not meritorious.
DECISION
C.T.A. E.B. No. 165
Page 8 of 16
The issues presented before this Court en bane are not novel. This
Court had already ruled
2
that a deposit account which has the same features
as a time deposit account, i.e., a fixed term in order to earn a higher interest
rate, is subject to the Documentary Stamp Tax (DST) imposed in Section 180
of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1977, as amended. Said Section
provides:
"Sec. 180. Stamp tax on all loan agreements,
promissory notes, bills of exchange, drafts, instruments and
securities issued by the government or any of its
instrumentalities, certificates of deposit bearing interest and
others not payable on sight or demand. - On all loan
agreements signed abroad wherein the object of the contract is
located or used in the Philippines; bills of exchange (between points
within the Philippines), drafts, instruments and securities issued by
the Government or any of its instrumentalities, or certificates of
deposit drawing interest or orders for the payment of any sum of
money otherwise than at sight or on demand, or on all promissory
notes, whether negotiable or non-negotiable, except bank notes
issued for circulation, and on each renewal of any such note, there
shall be collected a documentary stamp tax of Thirty centavos (P0.30)
on each two hundred pesos, or fractional part thereof, of the face
value of any such agreement, bill of exchange, draft, certificate of
deposit, or note: Provided, That only one documentary stamp tax shall
be imposed on either loan agreement, or promissory notes issued to
secure such loan, whichever will yield a higher tax: Provided,
however, That loan agreements or promissory notes the aggregate of
which does not exceed two hundred fifty thousand pesos (P250,000)
executed by an individual for his purchase on installment for his
personal use or that of his family and not for business, resale, barter
or hire of a house, lot, motor vehicle, appliance or furniture shall be
exempt from the payment of the documentary stamp tax provided
under this Section. {As amended by R.A. 7660}' (Italics supplied)
2
United Overseas Bank Philippines vs. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, C.T.A. E.B. NO. 31, March
10, 2005; Traders Royal Bank vs. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, C.T.A. E.B. NO. 34, April 26,
2005; and Allied Banking Corporation vs. Guillermo L. Parayno, Jr., in his official capacity as the
Commissioner of Internal Revenue, and Eleanor N. Litao, in her official capacity as Chief, LT-Collection
and Enforcement Division, Bureau of Internal Revenue, C.T.A. E.B. NO. 69, July 11, 2005; Banco de
Oro Universal Bank vs. Commis-sioner of Internal Revenue, C.T.A. E.B. NO. 39, October 28, 2005;
Philippine Banking Corporation (Now: Global Business Bank, Inc.) vs. Commissioner of Internal
Revenue, C.T.A. E.B. NO. 63, November 23, 2005.
DECISION
C.T.A. E.B. No. 165
Page 9 of 16
The provision itself already specified the documents that are subject to
the DST, to wit:
1. Loan Agreements;
2. Bills of Exchange;
3. Drafts;
4. Instruments and Securities issued by the Government or any of its
instrumentalities;
5. Certificates of deposit drawing interest,
6. Orders for the payment of any sum of money otherwise than at
sight or on demand; and
7. Promissory Notes, whether negotiable or non-negotiable.
The language of the statute is clear, the DST is imposed on all
certificates of deposit drawing interest. The Supreme Court defined a
certificate of deposit as "a written acknowledgment by a bank or banker of
the receipt of a sum of money on deposit which the bank or banker promises
to pay to the depositor, to the order of the depositor, or some other person or
his order, whereby the relation of debtor and creditor between the bank and
the depositor is created".
3
In the foregoing definition of a certificate of deposit, the Supreme
Court neither referred to a particular form of deposit nor limited the coverage
thereof to time deposits only. This Court is bound by such pronouncement.
The High Court used the term "written acknowledgment" which means that
for as long as there is some written memorandum of the fact that the bank
accepted a deposit of a sum of money from a depositor, the writing
constitutes a certificate of deposit. Hence, a passbook representing an
3
Far East Bank and Trust Company vs. Querimit, G.R. No. 148582, January 16, 2002 (373 SCRA 665).
DECISION
C.T.A. E.B. No. 165
Page 10 of 16
interest earning deposit account issued by a bank qualifies as a certificate of
deposit drawing interest.
Both law and jurisprudence do not prescribe any particular form before
a document covering a bank deposit can be considered as a certificate of
deposit. Therefore, restricting the meaning of "certificates of deposit drawing
interest" mentioned in Section 180 of the NIRC of 1977 to "certificates of time
deposit" only will not be in accordance with both law and jurisprudence.
Undeniably, a certificate of time deposit is but a type of a certificate of
deposit drawing interest.
It is well-settled that certificates of time deposits are subject to DST
while the regular savings deposits are not subject to DST. Petitioner
admitted that its Investment Savings Account deposit "is a cross-breed
between a time deposit and a regular savings account. As such cross-breed,
it will surely contain the features of both a regular savings account and a time
deposit'
14
In this regard, the Court in Division found merit in respondent's
arguments, as follows:
"xxx respondent insists that petitioner's ISAs are subject to
DST under Section 180 of the NIRC of 1977, as amended, since it has
the same features of a time deposit, namely: a) it has a fixed maturity
date and yield a higher interest rate; and b) it can be withdrawn
anytime in whole or in part before maturity date, subject, however to
the prevailing regular savings account interest rate. The use of an
ordinary savings account passbook instead of a certificate of deposit
does not alter the substance of the Investment Savings Aa:ount.
Respondent firmly believes that petitioner's ISAs and time
deposits are akin to each other, only that efforts were made by
petitioner to place superficial distinction between the two deposit
accounts by introducing an innovation i.e., by using a regular
4
Petition for Review, p. 16.
DECISION
C.T.A. E.B. No. 165
Page 11 of 16
passbook to document the said special savings account. Respondent
maintains that a close scrutiny of an ordinary savings account
passbook discloses the following entries, which are reflected in
separate columns, to wit: date, withdrawals, deposit/interest, balance
and remarks. From these entries, even an ordinary layman could
easily decipher that on a certain date, the depositor made either a
deposit or withdrawal and that after making such transaction the
amount appearing in the "balance column" is what remains of his
money that is kept by the bank. In the "remarks column," the bank's
representative attaches his initial/signature. The initial/signature
signifies that the bank acknowledges the correctness, authenticity and
veracity of all the entries therein, which means that the bank
recognizes and admits that on the stated date, the depositor made a
deposit which is received by the bank and that it will pay the depositor
or his representative should he decide to withdraw his money. Clearly,
therefore, the regular savings account passbook has the same
substance, attributes and qualities as a "certificate of deposit". The
fact that petitioner's "Investment Savings Deposit" is evidenced by a
regular savings account passbook and not by a certificate of deposit is
of no moment. What is important and controlling is the nature or
meaning conveyed by the passbook and not the particular label or
nomenclature attached to it, inasmuch as its substance is paramount
than its form."s
We see no cogent reason to reverse or modify the findings of the Court
in Division that petitioner's Investment Savings Account (!SA) deposit is, in
substance, a time deposit. Petitioner's !SA deposit has a significantly higher
interest rate than the regular savings deposit but in order for an !SA depositor
to earn the agreed higher interest rate, the amount of deposit must be
maintained for a fixed period. Although petitioner's ISA can be withdrawn
before its maturity date, such early withdrawal will result to the reduction of
the interest rate to the prevailing regular savings account rate. In other
words, there is a penalty for an early withdrawal from an ISA deposit in the
same way that a time deposit can be withdrawn before maturity date but
likewise subject to the reduction of the agreed interest rate. Such being the
5
Assailed Decision, p. 9.
DECISION
C.T.A. E.B. No. 165
Page 12 of 16
case, we agree with the finding that petitioner's ISA is a deposit account with
a fixed term. The characteristics of a fixed term and reduction of interest rate
in case of early withdrawal or pre-termination are essentially the features of a
time deposit. Hence, this Court concurs with the conclusion reached in the
assailed Decision that petitioner's ISA deposit and time deposit is substantially
the same, if not one and the same product, and therefore both are subject to
the DST on certificates of deposit drawing interest under Sec. 180 of the
NIRC.
It has been ruled that "in determining whether certain instruments
were subject to documentary stamp taxes, substance would control over form
and labels, xxx xxx xxx.'ro Since the Documentary Stamp Tax is an excise
tax "upon documents xxx xxx xxx levied, collected and paid for, and in
respect of the transaction so had or accomplished"
7
, the fact that the ISA
deposit is evidenced by a passbook is immaterial considering that the rule on
equality and uniformity in taxation requires the imposition of Documentary
Stamp Tax on documents evidencing transactions of the same kind, in this
case on all certificates of deposits drawing interest. "What is important and
controlling is the nature or meaning conveyed by the passbook and not the
particular label or nomenclature attached to it, inasmuch as its substance is
paramount rather than its form".
8
6
Knudsen Creamery Co. of California v. United States, Civ. No. 15336, June 3, 1954 [121 F. Suppl.
860].
7
Sec. 173, National Internal Revenue Code of 1977.
8
Resolution, Philippine Banking Corporation, now: Global Business Bank, Inc. vs. Commissioner of
Internal Revenue, C.T.A. CASE NO. 6395, January 14, 2005.
DECISION
C.T.A. E.B. No. 165
Page 13 of 16
We also cannot sustain petitioner's argument that the legislative
discussions on the House and Senate bills pertaining to Republic Act No.
9243, "An Act Rationalizing the Provisions on the Documentary Stamps Tax of
the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997", contained in the Committee
Reports and the Legislative Journals are controlling and should be given great
weight. The courts are the final arbiters as to the proper construction of
statutes. This was explained by the Supreme Court in the following manner:
"In the case of Manila Jockey Club/ Inc. v. Games and
Amusements o a r ~ supra, we held that legislative debates are
expressive of the views and motives of individual members and are
not always safe guides and, hence, may not be resorted to, in
ascertaining the meaning and purpose of the lawmaking body. It is
impossible to determine with certainty what construction was put
upon an act by the members of the legislative body that passed the
bill, by resorting to the speeches of the members thereof. Those who
did not speak, may not have agreed with those who did; and those
who spoke, might differ from each other {Sutherland on Statutory
Construction, 499-501; Ramos vs. Alvarez, 97 Phil 844).
There have been cases in the past where we adhered to this
doctrine. Thus, we held that individual statements made by Senators
on the floor of the Senate do not necessarily reflect the view of the
Senate. Much less do they indicate the intent of the House of
Representatives (Casco Phil. Chern. Co., Inc. v. Gimenez, 7 SCRA 347;
Resins, Inc. v. Auditor General, 25 SCRA 754). Accordingly, they are
not controlling in the interpretation of the law in question (Phil. Assn.
of Government Retirees, Inc. v. GSIS, 14 SCRA 610). Some
statements may be deemed to be a mere personal opinion of the
legislator (Mayan Motors, Inc. vs. Acting Com. of Internal Revenue, 1
SCRA 918).
The interpretation of statutes is for the courts. And the courts
are not necessarily bound by one legislator's opinion, expressed in
Congressional debates, concerning the application of existing laws
(Song Kiat Chocolate Factory vs. Central Bank of the Phils., 102 Phil.
477)."
9
9
Hospicio Nilo vs. Honorable Court of Appeals and Almario Gatchalian, No. L-34586, April 2, 1984; and
Fortunato Castro vs. Juan Castro, No. L-36625, April 2, 1984 (128 SCRA 519).
DECISION
C.T.A. E.B. No. 165
Page 14 of 16
In a very recent case involving the same issue, this Court had ruled
that in enacting R.A. No. 9243, "[t]he lawmaking body unmis-takably
adopted this Court's interpretation of Section 180 of the National Internal
Revenue Code of 1997, and made clearer the language used to include
therein certificates and other evidences of deposits that are either drawing
interest significantly higher than the regular savings deposit or drawing
interest having a specific maturity date, orders for payment of any sum of
money otherwise than at sight or on demand. When a statute is re-enacted
or revised after it has received judicial construction, it is presumed that the
legislature intended that construction to continue.'!lO In the same manner,
Sec. 9 of R.A. No. 9243 now expressly exempts from DST all "bank deposit
accounts without a fixed term or maturity" thereby removing any doubt that
deposit accounts with a fixed term have always been subject to DST.
Parenthetically, petitioner quoted the following excerpt from a Hearing
of the House Committee on Ways and Means held on February 5, 2002:
"REP. JESLI A. LAPUS: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr.
Chairman, I don't think this will take thirty minutes. We have
discussed this previously and if the committee will recall, this has ...
this is to finally resolve the issue on whether time deposits that are
evidenced by instruments other than certificates are subject to
documentary stamp tax. And the Department of Finance has
requested that this be deferred until the end of last year in order to
try to arrive at an amicable settlement or compromise on previous
assessment. That having failed the Secretary of Finance has given
the green light for the committee in the interest of revenue collection
and to erase any more doubts on whether time deposits evidenced
by instruments other than certificates are taxable that the committee
now proceed to pass the same. "
11
(Emphasis supplied)
10
Banco De Oro Universal Bank vs. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, C.T.A. E.B. No. 39, October 28,
2005.
11
Petition for Review, p. 23.
DECISION
C.T.A. E.B. No. 165
Page 15 of 16
The phrase "to erase any more doubts" shows that the intention of the
proponents of the legislative bills which later became R.A. No. 9243 is only to
clarify Sec. 180 of the 1997 NIRC. It likewise shows that the deposit accounts
earning a significantly higher interest than the regular savings account, such
as petitioner's !SA deposit, are viewed as time deposits. Since time deposits
covered by certificates of deposit drawing interest are subject to DST under
Section 180 of the 1997 NIRC, it follows that petitioner's !SA deposits are also
subject to DST since they have the same nature as time deposits because in
determining whether certain instruments are subject to documentary stamp
taxes, substance would control over form and labels.
To permit the true nature of the transaction to be disguised by mere
formalisms, which exist solely to alter tax liabilities, would seriously impair the
effective administration of the tax policies of Congress.
12
All the foregoing considered, this Court en bane finds no cogent reason
to reverse the assailed Decision and Resolution of the First Division of this
Court.
WHEREFORE, the instant petition is hereby DENIED for lack of
merit. Accordingly, the assailed Decision and Resolution are hereby
AFFIRMED.
SO ORDERED.

'1UANITO C.
Associate Justice
12
Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. The Estate of Benigno P. Toda, Jr., Represented by Special Co-
administrators Lorna Kapunan and Mario Luza Bautista, G.R. No. 147188, September 14, 2004.
DECISION
C.T.A. E.B. No. 165
Page 16 of 16
WE CONCUR:
~ ~ ~ Ot-nt-
ERNEsTo D. ACOSTA
Presiding Justice
(With Dissenting Opinion)
CAESAR A. CASANOVA
Associate Justice
~ ~ Q U E Z
Associate Justice
CERTI FI CATION
Pursuant to Section 13, Article VIII of the Constitution, it is hereby
certified that the above Decision has been reached in consultation with the
members of the Court En Bane before the case was assigned to the writer of
the opinion of this Court.
L v. ~
ERNESTO D. ACOSTA
Presiding Justice
Republic of the Philippines
COURT OF TAX APPEALS
Quezon City
ENBANC
BANCO DE ORO UNIVERSAL,
BANK,
EB NO. 165
(CTA CASE NO. 6401)
Petitioner,
-versus-
Members:
ACOSTA,P.J
CASTANEDA JR.,
BAUTISTA,
UY,
CASANOVA, and
PALANCA-ENRIQUEZ, JJ.:
Promulgated:
........
COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL
REVENUE,
Respondent.
AUG 16 ZOO& ? h J O J p ~ ~
x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -x
Dissenting Opinion
This is a Petition for Review filed in accordance with Rule 8 of the Revised
Rules of the Court of Tax Appeal seeking the reversal of the Decision of the First
Division promulgated on September 19, 2005, affirming the assessments for
deficiency DST on petitioner's Investment Savings Accounts (ISA) and ordering
petitioner to pay the corresponding amounts of P10,020,977.10 and
P43,285, 153.75 for the fiscal years 1996 and 1997, respectively; and the
Resolution dated January 25, 2006 denying petitioner's Motion for Partial
Resolution of the above-cited Decision.
With due respect to my colleagues, I am maintaining my dissenting
opinion with regard to the imposition of Documentary Stamp Tax on petitioner
Banco de Oro on its Investment Savings Accounts.
It is my opinion that the ISA, unlike a time deposit, has no holding period
or maturity date in order to avail a higher interest. A time deposit has a maturity
date wherein the parties mutually agree that the Bank will pay the depositor the
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stipulated interest rate only upon the expiration of a definite, fixed and
predetermined date. The depositor in a time deposit is bound by the maturity
date agreed upon; otherwise, he or she will be penalized by not receiving the
high interest as stated in the certificate of deposit. In contrast, ISA has no
maturity date. The period offered to a prospective Investment Savings depositor
is a length of time provided in a schedule of placement, for which a
corresponding rate is given. Still, the depositor is at liberty to withdraw his or her
deposit at any time upon the presentation of his or her passbook.
Investment Savings Account is an innovative product offered by the
petitioner to its clients. It is a crossbreed between a regular savings deposit and
a time deposit and as such, it contains essential features of both products. This
new product offers higher interest rates upon certain conditions similar to a time
deposit, but this does not automatically classify it as such.
From the text of Section 180 of the Tax Code, a "certificate of deposit"
subject to DST must have the features of a time deposit. A "time deposit", is
another term for a savings account or certificate of deposit in a commercial bank.
It is so called because in theory (though no longer in practice) a person must
wait a certain amount of time after notice of desire to withdraw part or all of his
or her savings. Certificates of deposits usually carry penalties for early
withdrawal. Cash in a bank earning interest; contrast with demand deposit
(Black's Law Dictionary, (jh Edition). Thus, it is incorrect for the respondent to
conclude that ISA falls within the definition of a "certificate of deposit" to make it
liable for DST.
In a Supreme Court decision, it was held that:
"The Court takes this occasion to reiterate the hornbook doctrine in the
interpretation of the tax laws that "(a) statute will not be construed as imposing
a tax unless it does so clearly, expressly, and unambiguously. Xxx (a) tax cannot
be imposed without clear and express words for that purpose. Accordingly, the
general rule of requiring adherence to the letter in construing statutes applies
with peculiar strictness to tax laws and the provisions of a taxing act are not to
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be extended by implicati on. Parenthetically, in answering the question of who is
subject to tax statutes, it is basic that "in case of doubt, such statutes are to be
construed most strongly against the government and in favor of the subject
citizens because burdens are not to be imposed nor presumed to be imposed
beyond what statutes expressly and clearly import." ( CIR vs. Court of Appeals/
Court of Tax Appeals and Ateneo de Manila/ 271 SCRA 605)
There must be a law or legislative enactment that mandates the
imposition of any tax in order for it to be due and demandable. The legislative
intent behind Section 180 of the Tax Code is to include time deposits only as
those liable for DST. It is through the introduction of ISA and similar transactions
by the banking industry that Congress deemed it necessary to enact a new law
to specifically cover the said product within the purview of said law.
Republic Act # 9243, "An Act Rationalizing the Provisions of the
Documentary Stamp Tax of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as
Amended, and for Other Purposes" was enacted into law on February 17, 2004.
Section 5 of the said law reads, as follows:
"SEC. 5. Section 180 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as
amended, is hereby renumbered as Section 179 and further amended to read as
follows:
SEC. 179. Stamp Tax on All Debt Instruments. -On every original
issue of debt instruments, there shall be collected a documentary stamp tax of
One peso (Pl.OO) on each Two hundred pesos (P200), or a fractional part
thereof, of the issue price of any such debt instruments: Provided, That for such
debt instruments with terms of less than one (1) year, the documentary stamp
tax to be collected shall be of a proportional amount in accordance with the ratio
of its term in number of days to three hundred sixty-five (365) days: Provided,
further, That only one documentary stamp tax shall be imposed on either loan
agreement, or promissory notes issued to secure such loan.
For purposes of this section, the term debt instrument shall mean
instruments representing borrowing and lending transactions including but not
limited to debentures, certificates of indebtedness, due bills, bonds, loan
agreements including those signed abroad wherein the object of contract is
located or used in the Philippines, instruments and securities issued by the
government or any of its instrumentalities, deposit substitute debt instrument,
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certificates or other evidences of deposits that are either drawing interest
significantly higher than the regular savings deposit taking into consideration the
size of the deposit and the risks involved or drawing interest and having a
specific maturity date, orders for payment of any sum of money otherwise than
at sight or on demand, promissory notes, whether negotiable or non-negotiable,
except bank notes issued for circulation. "
The above-cited law clearly subjects to DST not only time deposits but
also other evidences of deposits that are drawing interest significantly higher
than the regular savings deposit taking into consideration the size of deposit and
the risks involved Under this provision, bank deposits drawing interest higher
than the regular savings rate, even though the same may be withdrawn anytime,
are subject to DST. The enactment of Section 5 of RA # 9243 settled the conflict
between the Office of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue and the banking
industry with regard to the imposition of DST on ISA and similar transactions.
The fact that Congress amended Section 180 of the Tax Code shows that the old
law was inapplicable to the instant case. There was no law before the passage of
RA # 9243 subjecting the Investment Savings Account of the petitioner to DST.
WHEREFORE, premises considered, I vote to GRANT the instant
Petition for Review.
CAESAR A. CASANOVA
Associate Justice