Anti-graft court bars ex-BIR executive from leaving RP

MANILA, Philippines - A former top official of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has been barred from leaving the country on orders of the Sandiganbayan.

Former deputy commissioner Danilo Duncano was charged by the Office of the Ombudsman before the anti-graft court with falsifying his Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Net Worth for 2000, 2001 and 2002.

Duncano was placed in the Bureau of Immigration’s hold departure list after he failed a lifestyle check by the Office of the Ombudsman four months ago.

Ruling that Duncano had committed grave misconduct and dishonesty, Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Navarro-Gutierrez ordered the forfeiture of his retirement benefits and barred him from holding any position in government.

Gutierrez had also ordered that Duncano’s civil service eligibility be cancelled.

The Office of the Ombudsman had subjected Duncano to a lifestyle check, particularly on how his three sons were each able to supposedly purchase their own vehicles.

Lawyer Maria Olivia Elena Roxas, Legal Monitoring and Prosecution Bureau chief, had filed the complaint against Duncano after he failed to explain how his unemployed sons – Vincent Louis, 24; Daniel Anthony, 19; and Dante Christian, 21 – were able to acquire a 1993 Nissan Patrol worth P560,000, a 1995 Honda Accord worth P350,000 and a 1992 Nissan Sentra worth P180,000.

Records show that Duncano was receiving an annual salary of P250,000 and a tax exempt allowance of P36,000.   – Michael Punongbayan