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The Associated Press in Manila first reported that Pacquiao, a congressman in the country, hasn’t proven to the country’s Bureau of Internal Revenue that he paid taxes in 2008-09 and that unless it’s clarified, he owes $50 million (2.2 billion pesos) in back taxes as of July.

Pacquiao said he paid taxes in the United States following his victories against Ricky Hatton and Oscar De La Hoya and that a treaty prevents double taxation. AP reported a criminal case was dropped by prosecutors for the boxer’s alleged unpaid taxes in 2010.

“I appeal to them to remove the garnishment so that I can move and pay for my staff's salaries,” Pacquiao told reporters in his southern hometown of General Santos City. “I am not a criminal or a thief.”

The Philippines' tax bureau previously contacted HBO about Pacquiao's pay.

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Arum said Pacquiao should be credited in the Philippines for paying 30% in U.S. taxes while beating David Diaz, De La Hoya, Hatton and Miguel Cotto in four 2008-09 bouts.

Philippines tax authorities, however, have dismissed receipts of electronic transfers Arum’s company Top Rank provided showing U.S. taxes subtracted from Pacquiao’s purses as meaningless scraps of paper.

Philippines tax revenue chairman Kim Henares explained to AP, “What he can do is go to the IRS, ask IRS to certify this copy,” of his tax payments “as a true copy. We have been waiting for that for two years.”

Arum said he is “trying to get the IRS to notify the Philippines’ authorities … it’s really just a bureaucratic mess.

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Henares said of 22 banks her agency has ordered to report on Pacquiao's accounts, only two said they held deposits for Pacquiao and that the total was only 1.1 million pesos ($25,200), which is now covered by the garnish.

“It is unbelievable to me that he has only 1.1 million pesos,” Henares said.

Arum said Pacquiao has other accounts elsewhere but declined to elaborate.

“He’s not desperate at all,” Arum said. “How can it be a desperate situation if I’m holding $18 million for him? It’ll get worked out.”

Pacquiao said Tuesday he borrowed more than $22,700 to purchase relief supplies before his fight Sunday with Rios in Macau and will borrow more to keep his word to typhoon victims. Pacquiao said he plans to provide aid to more than 10,000 families.

Arum previously donated $25,000 to the typhoon relief effort and said he’d be willing to front Pacquiao more money for the recovery, “but where am I going to put it?”

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