Customs cop charged with graft

The Department of Finance (DOF) filed graft charges yesterday at the Ombudsman against a Customs police official who allegedly amassed P14 million worth of ill-gotten wealth.

The DOF-Revenue Integrity and Protection Service (RIPS) had accused Alfonso Abbariao, a police captain of the Bureau of Customs (BOC), of having accumulated unexplained assets.

Officials of the DOF-RIPS said Abbariao only had a modest net worth of P4,850 when he joined the BOC on April 23, 1975. Abbariao was then 25 years old when he was hired as a Customs Bonded Warehouse policeman.

RIPS investigators said the suspect only declared as his possessions several furniture, appliances, jewelry and small savings without any real estate or other properties of significant value.

But further investigation revealed that aside from a house and lot in Cagayan which Abbariao had declared as part of his inheritance in his Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth from 1975 to 1985, he had also acquired real estate property in Quezon City.

RIPS said the suspect owns a house and lot at Block 31, Pili Street, Greenfields subdivision; an apartment at 40 Seminary Road, Bagbag; and a three-door apartment at Reyes Avenue, Kaligayahan, all in Novaliches, Quezon City.

Abbariao’s current gross annual salary, as shown by his service record, is only P145,608.00 or P12,134.00 per month before tax deductions.

"His wife Roselle is only a housewife with no stated or fixed regular income," RIPS said.

"Judging by the nature, location and amenities thereof, the subject landholdings may be conservatively valued at no less than P10 million," the RIPS said in its complaint.

"To be blunt, it is difficult for a reasonable mind to accept how respondent can possibly afford to legitimately finance the foregoing multi-million peso real estate acquisitions, when his current annual gross salary is only P145,608.00 or P12,134.00 per month before taxes," the RIPS added.

Aside from the real estate property, Abbariao also purchased a fleet of expensive vehicles valued at no less than P4 million.

The vehicles included a 1996 Toyota utility vehicle (with license plates UEK-926), a 1998 Mitsubishi Adventure (CPF-213); a 2000 Mitsubishi Pajero (XAA-610), a 2005 Mitsubishi Pajero and a Toyota Revo (CPF-213).

RIPS said Abbariao had also "maliciously" failed to declare the actual number and value of the vehicles that he had acquired during his service at the Customs Police.

The RIPS also said Abbariao also failed to file his SALNs for the years 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991 and 1992.

"Respondent has utterly failed to make a true and compete declaration and disclosure of his assets, in gross and trenchant violation of the letter and spirit of Section 7, Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) and Section 8, Republic Act 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials andEmployees)," the RIPS said.

Meanwhile, the RIPS also requested the Office of the Ombudsman to place Abbariao under preventive suspension while the investigation into his alleged unexplained wealth is ongoing.