BIR, Customs officials sacked for failure to meet targets

MANILA, Philippines – Five officers of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and another five from the Bureau of Customs (BOC) have been sacked for failing to meet their collection targets.

Department of Finance (DOF) Undersecretary Gil Beltran told a news conference at the House of Representatives that the termination of the services of the 10 was recommended by the DOF Revenue Performance Evaluation Board.

He named the five from the BIR as Arturo Acabal and Virgie Virata of Dumaguete City, Julieta Makilan of Bacolod City, Jefferson Lajarani of Tawi-Tawi, and Josefino Ong of Mountain Province.

He said the five were either revenue district officers or assistant revenue district officers.

Beltran said the five Customs officers who were fired were Percito Lozada, Nicolas Bejar, Arthur Sevilla Jr., Antonio Arrojo, and Gliceria Umandap, all from the Port of Manila.

He said the 10 officers were “short of their assigned targets in 2006 by at least 7.5 percent.”

“They were given ample opportunity to justify their tax collection shortfall but they still failed to meet the hurdle rate,” he added.

He pointed out that under Republic Act 9335, or the Attrition Act of 2005, officers incurring a shortfall of 7.5 percent would be subject to termination of service.

On the other hand, the law allows rewards in case BIR and Customs exceed their target.

Only a few months ago, Customs personnel shared more than P500 million in reward for good performance.       – Jess Diaz