THE Bureau of Immigration has been ordered to place "Ang Galing Pinoy" Party-list Rep. Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo and his wife Angela on the watch list order (WLO) shortly after the Department of Justice recommended their indictment in the P73.85 million tax evasion suit lodged against them.

Justice Secretary Leila De Lima ordered the BI to place the couple under the WLO after the DoJ Task Force on Bureau of Internal Revenue Cases  found probable cause to charge the couple with alleged multiple violations of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.

De Lima said the Arroyos should not jump to the conclusion that the Aquino administration is out to persecute their family.

She claimed that the DoJ-TFBIR followed the right processes in finding probable cause of the charges lodged against the couple such as giving Arroyo and his wife the opportunity to defend themselves.

"Sa amin sa DoJ, wala kaming ibang consideration. We don't at all consider political and other considerations," the Justice Secretary stressed.

The other day, government prosecutors found probable cause to indict Arroyo for three counts of failure to file income tax return and three counts of failure to supply correct and accurate information on his ITR.

His wife Angela is facing seven counts of violation of Section 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code for also failing to file her income tax return for taxable years 2003 to 2009.

The couple was slapped with tax evasion cases by the Bureau of Internal Revenue last April for "willful intent" to evade paying the correct amount of taxes to the government.

In its complaint, the BIR claimed the couple had tax liabilities of P73.85 million, including surcharges and interest.

Also, the BIR alleged the Arroyos bought real, personal and other properties worth several millions from 2004 to 2009, including residential houses in the United States; Lubao, Pampanga and La Vista Subdivision in Quezon City; motor vehicles, stock shares, jewelry, clothes and other personal effects, as enumerated in Arroyo’s SALN as of December 31 of the years 2002 to 2009.