MANILA (UPDATE) - Philrem is not registered as a remittance company with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), BIR Commissioner Kim Henares said.

Henares, who appeared as one of the resource persons at the Senate Blue Ribbon committee inquiry on the $81-million money laundering heist, said Philrem is registered as a land transportation contractor and not as a remittance company.

“We looked at the registration of Philrem with us, I think there’s something wrong with their registration,” Henares told senators at the hearing on Tuesday.

"Their registration with us is for other land transportation contractor, hindi money changer and remittance company. They amended their articles on incorporation in 2005, but they did not update their registration with us,” she added.

The tax chief noted that because the company engaged in foreign exchange and remittance, it was subject to a 5 percent gross receipts tax, which Philrem didn't pay.

“The taxes they paid are wrong because when you are a money changer and a foreign exchange company, you are a non-bank financial intermediary, so you’re supposed to pay a 5 percent gross receipt tax. You’re not supposed to be paying VAT [value-added tax],” Henares said.

Henares also said the receipts issued by Philrem to Weikang Xu were not registered with the BIR and a "clear violation of the regulation."

“Mula ng 2013, lahat ng resibong gagamitin, kailangan alam namin para kapag in-audit namin, alam namin,” she said.

Philrem was the remittance firm used in disbursing the stolen funds from Bangladesh Bank to casinos.

READ: Kim Wong, Philrem contradict each other on cash deliveries

Philrem president Salud Bautista has consistently denied that the company had any knowledge that the money was stolen, and denied any illegal activity.

She also said there is no more cash with Philrem, disputing the allegations of casino junket operator Kim Wong that about $17 million is still with the remittance company.