Ombudsman intensifies BoC, BIR execs’ lifestyle checks
Remulla said the office wanted to assure the public that businesses that follow the rules would be protected.
The Office of the Ombudsman will intensify efforts to monitor the lifestyles of officials of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BoC) amid reports that personnel have been collecting payments from businesses in excess of legally prescribed fees.
During a town hall meeting with members of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) on Friday, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla stressed the need to hold both agencies accountable, given their role in collecting government revenues.
“These are the two agencies entrusted with collecting the money that builds our roads, our schools, and our hospitals. That money belongs to the Filipino people. It does not belong to the officer who collects it,” Remulla said.
He said his office had received reports of collectors charging businesses more than the amounts prescribed by law, with the excess payments allegedly not covered by official receipts.
Remulla also cited reports suggesting that transactions without receipts had become more common than those properly documented in both agencies.
Demand receipts
“Let me be clear. There is no legitimate payment to the government that has no receipt. Every peso paid to the state must have a receipt. A payment without a receipt is not tax, it’s corruption,” he said.
“Think about it, more funds are going into the pockets of the few than what goes to the government,” he added.
Remulla said the Ombudsman would work to empower businesses to refuse demands for payments beyond legally required fees, warning that companies could remain vulnerable to extortion if they were unable to do so.
“It is the responsibility of the government to make refusing safe. That is our job. Every business must build the courage to say no,” he said.
He urged PCCI members to coordinate with the Ombudsman in addressing the reported practices and protecting businesses from abuse.
Remulla said the office wanted to assure the public that businesses that follow the rules would be protected.