Ex-customs employee, others charged with graft

THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Friday filed graft charges before the Office of the Ombudsman against a former Bureau of Customs (BOC) official, his wife, and two associates for “allegedly amassing illegally acquired wealth.”

Former BOC Risk Management Office head Atty. Larribert Hilario, former Taft, Eastern Samar Vice Mayor Maria Concepcion, their driver Dino Dotingco, and “dummy” Jerlie Adel “were charged for Violation of R.A. 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees), R.A. 1379 (An Act Declaring Forfeiture in Favor of Government of unlawfully acquired property), and Falsification of Public Documents under Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code,” the agency said in a statement.

After a ten-month investigation, “the NBI was able to establish that the couple Atty. Larribert Hilario and Maria Concepcion Hilario are liable for illegally amassing assets and real properties and for now declaring assets and business interests in their SALN, which is required of public officials and employees,” the statement said.

The investigation also revealed that Mr. Dotingco operated an export and import business — where fellow respondent Mr. Adel was an employee — named Cangco Dotingco Enterprises (CDE) and its transactions amounted to P1,775,338,247.

The NBI in the press statement argued “that Dino Dotingco has no knowledge and training to qualify him to undertake import and export business and since he is living with Atty. Hilario, CDE is business transacting without proper office and staff.”

It added, “It is clear that there is misrepresentation and that the integrity of transactions of CDE is questionable.”

NBI Deputy Director Ferdinand M. Lavin said that the move was a “lifestyle check.” He added: “Walang political motivation ang investigation na ito (This is a lifestyle check… There are no political motivations in this investigation.)” — Dane Angelo M. Enerio