The Tax Management Association of the Philippines (TMAP) said there appears to be "a sustained effort to project the April revenue collection figures as a dismal failure despite the actual improvement in collection performance levels." There has been many shortfalls in the past but this is the only time that we see a BIR chief being crucified loudly in public for an alleged collection failure, the group said.

TMAP president Clarissa Arguelles also expressed concern over an apparent effort to project Buñag as "a bureaucrat hanging on to his seat desperately." We cannot understand why it is being made to appear that the BIR chief is under threat of being fired by the Finance Secretary due to the April collection figures, she asked.

If there is a need to bring in a new BIR chief due to political pressure, why don’t they just ask Bunag to go quietly and we are sure he will just be happy to go," she added. The prolonged public drama on the April collection figures and the threat of removing Buñag is causing anxiety in the business community, Arguelles explained.

Arguelles reminded Buñag detractors that "he was a successful taxation expert before he agreed to join the BIR as deputy commissioner in 2002." He was just invited to serve so he deserves better treatment than what he is getting now, Arguelles pointed out.

The current treatment being given to the BIR chief might serve as a disincentive to other civic-minded professionals in the private sector who might want to consider government service, she added.

Other business groups earlier cautioned the government against replacing Buñag "so as not to upset the gains achieved by the country in terms of investor confidence." Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Jesus Arranza said the revenue targets "may be too high" and may need to be reviewed.

The groups also noted that the April 2006 revenue collection of P71.3 billion is actually higher by 13 percent than P63.8 billion collected during the same period last year.