Manila, Dec. 15 -- Some of the 448,494 illicit vape products, with about PHP1.34 billion worth of unpaid taxes and penalties, were simultaneously destroyed nationwide by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Monday.

The activity is part of the three-day event aimed to address illicit trade, and was live-streamed through the agency's Facebook page, https://fb.watch/D-pzrLIGci/.

BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin Mendoza, during the event, underscored the need to conduct the activity publicly and simultaneously nationwide to inform the public that "the government does not-and will not-tolerate the sale of vape and vapor products without the full and proper payment of excise taxes, as evidenced by the excise tax stamps that must be affixed to...