DoF conducts lifestyle check

By Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan
Reporter

THE DEPARTMENT of Finance’s (DoF) legal team is conducting a lifestyle check on people of its attached agencies — including high-ranking officials, and officials identified by a senator in his privileged speech last August on corruption in the Bureau of Customs (BoC).

Finance Undersecretary and legal affairs head Bayani H. Agabin said his team is investigating “a couple” of high-ranking officials within the DoF and its agencies, but declined to name some, pending the conclusion of its investigation.

“What we do is to look up the SALNs (statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth) of everyone under our umbrella,” Mr. Agabin told reporters on Friday.

The investigation includes, among others, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Bureau of Customs (BoC), Bureau of the Treasury, Bureau of Local Government Finance, Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp., Securities and Exchange Commission, Insurance Commission, as well as local treasurers.

Citing initial reports, Mr. Agabin noted that one employee owns two upscale Alveo Land condominiums in Makati, despite living only on a P40,000 monthly paycheck.

“Now they are into expensive bags and watches,” he added.

The investigation is part of the DoF’s anti-corruption program under the Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS).

“We act on the basis if there are complaints. For example, in the newspapers, if we read something. Okay, we investigate,” said Mr. Agabin.

He noted that the investigation includes names identified by Senator Panfilo M. Lacson in his privileged speech last August when he uncovered the “tara” system of grease money in the BoC.

Mr. Agabin said those subject to investigation will be identified in due course.

“When we find something like that, we have to file a case either sa Ombudsman, CSC (Civil Service Commission), or, for example, within Customs itself. Parang we come up with report based on our analysis of the SALNs, we ask them to please undertake necessary proceedings.”

“Our problem is mas tumataas ang rank, mas umuutak, mas gumagaling magtago (the higher the rank, the wilier they get). We just have to outthink them,” added Mr. Agabin.