2 BIR collectors dismissed for shortage in tax collections

Two revenue collection officers were ordered dismissed yesterday by the Office of the Ombudsman for incurring shortages in their tax collections.

Ordered dismissed from the Bureau of Internal Revenue was Rodrigo Genova, revenue collection clerk III of the Office of the Municipal Treasurer in the municipality of Siay, Zamboanga Sibugay. The Office of the Ombudsman said Genova was found liable for grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty.

In a separate case, the Office of the Ombudsman also dismissed Jesusa de Ocampo, revenue collection clerk II of the Municipal Treasury Office in Tabuk, Kalinga for her failure to remit tax collections amounting to P256,967.24.

Both Genova and De Ocampo were also meted out the accessory penalties of cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and perpetual disqualification for reemployment in the government service.

According to the Office of the Ombudsman, Genova was the subject of a report submitted by the Commission on Audit, which conducted an examination of the cash and accounts of the town of Siay on Sept. 9, 2002 and found that his accounts were short by P159,223.23.

The COA then issued a demand letter to Genova on Sept. 19, 2002, which prompted him to make partial liquidations of his unremitted collections in the total amount of P62,000 from November 2002 to June 2003.

However, according to the Office of the Ombudsman, Genova failed to settle the remaining P97,223.23 cash shortage balance, forcing COA to file appropriate charges against him before the Office of the Ombudsman.

In a six-page decision, the Ombudsman found Genova liable for grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty and meted out the penalty of dismissal from the service.

The case against De Ocampo stemmed from a complaint filed by the COA that conducted an examination of her accounts on Sept. 1, 2004.

On Sept. 7, 2004, COA auditor Crismela Badua sent De Ocampo a demand letter ordering her to produce the missing collections and to submit a written explanation for her failure to remit the amount.

According to the Office of the Ombudsman, De Ocampo failed to settle her accounts and did not explain the deficiency. — Mike Frialde