The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) commends the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the successful filing of 34 criminal charges before the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) and the Courts of Caloocan City against World Balance, also registered as CHG Global Inc. (CHGGI), in connection with its ₱178.8 million basic tax deficiencies.
On July 9, 2025, the DOJ filed before the CTA thirty (30) criminal Informations against World Balance and its corporate officers for violations of Sections 254 and 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended (Tax Code). And on July 16, 2025, additional four (4) criminal Informations were filed before the Regional and Metropolitan Trial Courts of Caloocan City for violations of Sections 254, 255, and 267 of the Tax Code. The BIR uncovered these fraudulent practices through its Run After Fake Transactions (RAFT) Program, which targets the use of fictitious receipts issued by non-existent or ghost companies. The scheme used by World Balance to evade the correct payment of taxes constitutes willful tax evasion and deliberate misrepresentation in its tax filings, covering taxable years 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.
The Informations therefore impleaded the officers of World Balance, Barnaby L. Chong and Bradley L. Chong. Their criminal liability is expressly provided under Sections 253(d) and 256 of the Tax Code. The DOJ also indicted Barnaby L. Chong, Bradley L. Chong and Audrey Suzanne L. Chong for violation of Section 267 for making untruthful declaration, return, and other statements in the Annual Income Tax returns of World Balance. Aside from criminal penalties, the respondents are also liable for the payment of ₱178,838,936.00 in basic tax liabilities. Upon a finding of probable cause by the courts, warrants of arrest will be issued.
“We thank Secretary Remulla and the entire DOJ prosecution team for their swift and decisive action against World Balance and their use of Ghost Receipts. By working shoulder to-shoulder with the DOJ, we are defending honest taxpayers and leveling the playing field against those who use ghost transactions to cheat the system,” Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui, Jr. stated.