Importer arrested for allegedly falsifying tax documents

CEBU, Philippines - An importer was arrested in Barangay Kabangkalan, Mandaue City yesterday afternoon for allegedly falsifying documents to make it appear he has paid the tax of a three-million-worth car.

Santiago Clarence Romoff was arrested by virtue of a warrant following a complaint filed by siblings Sherwin and Salvador Kabingue before the Investigation and Detective Management Branch of the Cebu City Police Office.

The warrant was issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 7 Judge Teresita Abarquez-Galanida March this year.

IDMB chief Insp. George Ylanan said the the Kabingue brothers filed the complaint late last year after suspecting that the documents for the car they bought from Romoff were fake.

The Kabingues alleged they bought a Hummer SUV 2007 model from the suspect early last year. Romoff then allegedly furnished them a copy of the certificate of payment and certificate of vehicle physical check-up from the Bureau of Customs for which Sherwin paid P400,000. The amount was reportedly for the tax in importing the car.

The Kabingues decided to have the vehicle registered, but encountered a problem on its entry number. At the Custom’s office, they found out that the entry number of the car was the same entry number issued to Gentle Supreme Phil., Inc. for the importation of bar soaps and other products.

They also found out that a certain Floyd Lim was also issued with the same certificate for buying the same type of car, but also with an entry number issued to Virginia Foods Inc. for the importation of frozen pork cutting fat.

The complainants furnished a copy of the documents to IDMB. The team swooped down on the Romoff inside his residence in Agro-Makro Subdivision past 1 pm yesterday.

Romoff refused to issue any comment on the controversy.

A female relative of his, however, said the complainants allegedly wanted to cut short the registration of the vehicle despite not having allegedly paid the P3 million in full. They reportedly just paid over P2 million.

Still, Ylanan said there is “something wrong” in the “construction” of the documents. He, however, said the discrepancy is yet to be established.

“Wala ta kahibaw kinsa g’yud ang nagbinuang. Basta ang sigurado, naa’y nagbinuang,” he said.

Ylanan disclosed an estafa case was also filed against Romoff last December for allegedly embezzling the amount he collected from his business partners intended to bribe customs officials in relation to their importation of cement from China.

The court has recommended P40,000 as bail for Romoff’s temporary liberty.   (FREEMAN NEWS)