BIR regional director faces graft charges

A regional director of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) assigned in Cotabato City was charged with graft before the Office of the Ombudsman yesterday for failing a lifestyle check.

An investigation by the Department of Finance’s Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS) found that Mama Bae Marzoc owns 13 pieces of real estate property in Cotabato and Marawi cities, including three mansions.

Marzoc, BIR regional director assigned at the Revenue Region 18 Office in Cotabato City, was charged with not declaring the properties on his annual financial statements as required by the anti-graft law.

Lawyer Romeo Tomas Jr., deputy executive officer of the RIPS’ legal and revenue operations division, said one of Marzoc’s mansions even has a private mosque and he owns a five-unit apartment in Marawi City.

Marzoc’s total net worth of assets was pegged by RIPS at between P15 million and P20 million, with most of his property values underdeclared by at least 70 percent of their actual market value.

However, Marzoc declared only a total net worth of P2.5 million in his 2003 statement of assets and liabilities.

The mansion in Bagua, Cotabato City alone was found to be worth at least P5 million.

Investigators also found Marzoc had underdeclared the value of another mansion, in Karkar, Cotabato City — worth at least P3 million — at only P12,000.

A mansion in Marawi City was estimated to be worth P4 million and was never declared in Marzoc’s financial statements submitted to the government.

Aside from the mansions and apartment units, Marzoc also owns several buildings in Cotabato City, as shown by certifications issued by the Land Registration Authority and the city assessor’s office in Cotabato City.

"The above circumstances evidence the continuous and substantial accumulation of wealth by Marzoc cannot be justified as his tax records and the information provided by the Bureau of Internal Revenue confirm that he does not have any other source of income other than what he receives by way of compensation from the BIR," the RIPS said in its complaint against Marzoc filed before the Ombudsman.

If convicted, Marzoc faces a maximum prison term of 15 years in addition to permanent disqualification from holding public office and forfeiture of benefits.

Last April 7, the RIPS filed graft charges with the Ombudsman against four employees of the Bureau of Customs for their alleged involvement in the anomalous entry of BMW and Mercedes-Benz cars at the port of Zamboanga which had denied the government P1.3 million in taxes.

Earlier, on March 23, RIPS investigators also filed graft charges before the Office of the Ombudsman against Raul Enriquez, a security guard of the Bureau of Customs assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, for flunking a lifestyle check.

Enriquez was allegedly found to own a fleet of expensive cars and real estate properties at a posh subdivision in Pasig City despite having a monthly salary of only P8,000.

The RIPS, formed by Finance Secretary Margarito Teves, investigates officials and employees of the Department of Finance and its attached agencies, the Bureau of Customs and the Bureau of Internal Revenue, both considered to be among the most corrupt government agencies.

In 2003, the Arroyo administration launched a campaign against tax evasion and corruption that included "lifestyle checks" aimed at preventing government officials and employees from amassing ill-gotten wealth.

Various international agencies have expressed concern about massive corruption in the Philippines, which analysts say has discouraged foreign investors.

Some surveys portray the Philippines as the second most corrupt country in Asia next to Indonesia.