Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. blamed the organizers of the Philippine Vape Festival 2024, including the owners of stalls with illicit vape, for the raid that happened on Sunday.
The BIR said vape products without an internal revenue stamp is an easily noticeable violation of taxation laws, yet the organizers and owners involved in the festival failed to comply with this basic requirement.
Lumagui also reminded celebrities and influencers to stop promoting illicit vapes and instead promote compliant vapes.
“To the organizers of the Philippine Vape Festival 2024, the owners of vape products who had stalls in the festival, why did you allow them in the festival when they do not have internal revenue stamp? You have the responsibility to check the compliance of the vape products in the festival. You invited hundreds of Filipinos then you display illegal vape? You are not compliant, do not fool the public,” Lumagui said.
The BIR said a team of celebrities and influencers, whose names and faces are plastered across dozens of social media posts and publication materials, actively promoted the festival.
“Celebrities, influencers, and endorsers of the Philippine Vape Festival 2024 should be more responsible in promoting vape products. Instruct your agents or managers not to accept endorsements or promotions that involve illicit vape. Instead, let us aim to promote compliant vapes, for the safety of our fellow Filipinos,” Lumagui said.
The BIR Illicit Trade Task Force raided the Philippine Vape Festival 2024 on Aug. 18, 2024.
The raid was executed in the presence of hundreds of festival-goers and other members of the vape industry. The BIR confiscated 5,385 illicit vapes, all of which had no internal revenue stamps.
“The BIR is for fair competition in the vape industry. Pay your taxes, compete fairly. It would be unfair to vape companies who are regularly paying their taxes if the BIR will not enforce its mandate of fair taxation against non-compliant vape companies,” Lumagui said.
