2 BIR execs in Agusan Sur charged with graft

MANILA, Philippines - Two officials of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in Agusan del Sur are facing charges of malversation of public funds for failing to remit tax collections.  

The Office of the Ombudsman said the case against Jocelyn Casido of BIR-Rosario and Ronelito Caday of BIR-Lapaz stemmed from complaints filed by the Commission on Audit (COA).  

In its examination of the tax collections and bank remittances, COA found that Casido haD a shortage of P7,253,009.43 from Feb. 1, 2005 to Nov. 30, 2008, while Caday had a shortage of P539,042.39 from March 1, 2007 to Dec. 31, 2008.

Upon COA’s demand, Casido remitted P128,891.96, leaving a cash shortage of P7,124,117.47. Caday returned only P107,000. 

The respondents did not provide direct explanations on why the missing tax collections were not remitted. 

“In failing to explain the missing funds, the respondents as accountable officers failed to overcome the presumption that these public funds were put to their personal use,” Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao Rodolfo Elman said in his ruling.