DOF unit cans another BOC employee

MANILA, Philippines - The Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIP)s of the Department of Finance (DOF) has suspended yet another employee of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for grave misconduct and for allegedly failing to declare his assets, liabilities and net worth.

In a statement, the DOF unit said it has received from the Office of the Ombudsman the decision to suspend a security guard of the BOC because he failed to properly declare his assets which are grossly disproportionate to his known disclosed sources of income.

Raul Enriquez, a Customs guard at the NAIA Customs House in Pasay City began his employment with the (BOC) in 1986 as security guard with an annual salary of P13,524, RIPs said.

His latest service record reflects that he is presently holding the position of Security Guard II with an annual salary of P100,500.

 Based on his Sworn Statements of Assets and Liabilities and Net Worth for the years 1987, 1988, 1991, 1994 to 2004, Enriquez declared his and his wife’s real property assets amounting to a total of P5.4 million.

Enriquez stated that he and his spouse do not own real properties other than those declared in his SALNs but based on the information gathered by RIPS, Enriquez and his wife has accumulated a number of properties.

These include parcels of land, residential properties and a 2005 Ford Escape SUV and a 2000 Toyota Corolla model.

The substantial ownership of said properties by Enriquez is allegedly manifestly out of proportion to his annual income of only P100,500.

RIPS said in its complaint that based on confidential information gathered by RIPS and the investigations on Enriquez’s lifestyle, there is sufficient evidence that Enriquez committed acts and omissions that are illegal, unjust improper and in violation of foregoing laws.

“Enriquez, while having four children to support, managed to acquire unexplainable wealth while classified as having one of the lowest ranking positions within the plantilla of the Bureau of Customs. The accusatory allegations contained in the complaint, if proven true, could warrant his removal from government service,” said Finance Undersecretary for Revenue Operations and Legal Affairs Carlo Carag.

In an informal inquiry with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), the DOF unit also found out that in addition to the taxes withheld from his salary, Enriquez only paid minimal income taxes, creating serious doubt on his receipt of any other substantial income outside his earning as a government employee that can justify his considerable acquisition.

RIPs is a unit of the DOF tasked to conduct lifestyle checks among employees of the BIR and the BOC, with the goal of eradicating corruption in the two revenue agencies.