INTERNAL Revenue yesterday closed down a leading maker of premium soya milk and soya-based products in Pasig City and a Korean restaurant in Makati City following its campaign against tax dodgers, Commissioner Sixto Esquivias IV said.

The agency padlocked Charmy Food Philippines Inc., which is partly owned by businessman Manuel Zamora Jr., owner of Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corp., and Ara?s Fine Dining Inc. in Bel-Air.

?We hope to substantially increase our tax collection as we seek to once again strike fear in the hearts of our misbehaving taxpayers,? Esquivias told reporters.

Charmy Food failed to pay P10.44 million in taxes from 2005 to 2008, tax officer Rey Asterio Tambis said.

Ara?s Fine Dining understated its sales in 2006, 2007 and 2008 by P32.51 million, tax officer Florante Anting said.

Charmy Food has a paid-up capital of P28 million and is owned 26.1 percent by Zamora, who also has shares in Philex Mining and Nickel Asia.

The company said it would file the required tax returns and pay the corresponding taxes to lift Internal Revenue?s order closing it.

?It was never the intention of management not to file its returns or to evade the payment of taxes,? the company said in a statement.

?The president of Charmy recently discovered that the former accountant hired by the company to compute the tax due and to comply with the tax obligation of the company did not do her job.? Lawrence Agcoili