NBI raids office for faking receipts

MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation has vowed to crack down on groups producing fake receipts to defraud the government of taxes after NBI agents raided an office fabricating official documents in Quezon City.

Members of the NBI Anti-Organized and Transnational Crimes Division swooped down on a residential unit used as an office at an Eastwood condominium on Dec. 15.

The NBI implemented a warrant to search, seize and examine computer data issued by a Quezon City trial court against the office of Brenterprise International Co., a Malate-based wholesale business registered under the name of fugitive businessman and Bren Esports chief executive officer Bren Chong.

At least 1,000 big and small businesses engaged the service of Brenterprise to fabricate official receipts to defraud the government of taxes, according to a source.

Personnel of Brenterprise fabricated receipts and jacked up actual expenses against gross income to lower the income tax to be paid to the government, the source added.

The NBI partnered with the Bureau of Internal Revenue to look into the violations of Brenterprise in defrauding the government of taxes.

At least 20 computers were seized by the NBI for forensics investigation.

The perpetrators and their clients may face charges of tax evasion.

Chong, whose family owns sports apparel World Balance, is also the subject of a warrant of arrest issued by the Manila Regional Trial Court in connection with the P1.8-billion shabu shipment intercepted at the Manila International Container Port in 2019.

The NBI has launched a manhunt for the fugitive entrepreneur.

Chong denied on Twitter the allegations hurled against him, but he has yet to surface following the issuance of a warrant for his arrest.