DOF files 103 cases versus BIR, BOC officials

The Department of Finance (DOF) has so far filed various graft charges before the Office of the Ombudsman a total of 103 cases against various public officials and personnel from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

Data from the DOF showed that as of end-Nov. 15, 2008, the DOF’s Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS) has filed cases against 25 employees of the BIR, 68 employees of the BOC, eight city and municipal treasurers under the Bureau of Local Government Finance, one employee from the Central Management Information Office of the DOF and one employee from the Cooperative Development Authority or a total of 103 cases filed. 

As a result of the cases filed by the DOF unit, the Office of the Ombudsman has meted-out preventive suspensions against 37 individuals and dismissed 11 other officials from the BIR and the BOC, including an Assistant Commissioner and a Revenue Regional Director.

RIPS is mandated to conduct lifestyle checks, investigate allegations of graft and corruption and to file criminal and administrative complaints against erring officials and employees of the Finance department, the BIR and the BOC.

Apart from filing cases against the Office of the Ombudsman, the DOF-RIPs also forged strategic linkages with the United States Agency for International Development and the Millennium Challenge Account.

Through these initiatives, officials and personnel of the DOF unit participated in trainings and seminars on how to effectively pursue anti-corruption investigations and other related activities.

Furthermore, the DOF unit also established two satellite offices in Cebu and in Davao which also served as a warning against BIR and BOC officials in those areas.

The National Government has blamed corruption and tax evasion for its low tax take. It hopes to have contained the budget deficit at P75 billion last year and has programmed to keep the budget gap at P102 billion this year.