Customs official suspended for alleged extortion

MANILA, Philippines – A Bureau of Customs official was suspended for three months by the Office of the Ombudsman yesterday for allegedly extorting money from a shipping firm.

In a decision, Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez said Edward Baltazar, Port of San Fernando City, La Union district collector, was suspended based on the complaint of Abelardo Santos, Silver Duck Shipping Corp. president, who accused Baltazar of demanding P100,000 monthly from his firm.

In separate decisions, Gutierrez also dismissed from government service two Customs employees, operating officer IV Dolores Domingo and messenger Chito Orbeta; and suspended two others, operations officer V Pier Angelie Sealtiel and intelligence officer Victor Raymundo Asuncion for failing the lifestyle check.

Domingo was dismissed from the service after she was found guilty of “grave misconduct, dishonesty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.”

Records showed Domingo started working as a senior clerk at the BOC in March 1988 with an annual salary of P29,676.

She became clerk III until she was appointed to her present position, with an annual salary of P194,844.

Records also disclosed that her husband Medel only started filing his Income Tax Return (ITR) in 2000, reflecting a net income of P31,798; P42,348 in 2001; P20,893 in 2002; and P18,993 in 2003.

However, during the same period, the spouses acquired the following properties: a house and lot worth P1.25 million; two vehicles with a total value of P366,000; and a motor vehicle worth P640,000.

She also did not declare in her 2002 Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth (SALN) the following properties: a Hyundai Starex Van worth P840,000; Mitsubishi Pajero worth P250,000; Toyota Revo worth P803,000; and Hyundai Elantra Sedan worth P485,000.

Orbeta was dismissed from the service for acquiring a total of P1.6 million in unexplained wealth from 1992 to 2004.

Investigation showed that in 1992, Orbeta was able to acquire a lot in Canlubang, Laguna valued at P190,080 when his annual salary was only P24,876; in 1998, a Toyota Revo worth P599,000 when his annual salary was only P58,992; and in 2003, a Honda Civic worth P395,000 even if his annual salary was only P71,592.

The Department of Finance’s Revenue Integrity Protection Service filed the complaint against Sealtiel for allegedly “amassing wealth which is grossly disproportionate to her modest income as a civil servant.”

Sealtiel started working at the BOC as clerk on July 20, 1976 with an annual salary of P4,860.

At present, she holds the position of Customs operation officer V with an annual salary of P213,588.

Despite her modest earnings, Sealtiel and her husband own two adjacent lots and occupy one apartment unit in Tambo, Parañaque, valued at P3 million.

Verification from the Land Transportation Office (LTO) also showed that her family owns several vehicles: a Mitsubishi Lancer, a Mitsubishi Pajero, a Mitsubishi Galant, a Honda CRV and a Toyota Corolla.

Sealtiel and her family also engaged in numerous foreign travels in Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan and she failed to file her annual SALN for the years 1980, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1995 and 2001.

Asuncion began his employment at the BOC on Nov. 4, 1968 as seaman and was promoted to various positions until he reached his current position, Intelligence Officer I, with annual compensation of P129,576.

Based on records, from November 1968 up to year 2004, he received a total income of P1.78 million.

He declared in his 1993, 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2002 SALNs that he owns three properties in Pateros.

His wife owns four properties also in Pateros.

A residential lot also in the same municipality is in the name of his son, Paul Evan Asuncion.

LTO records also showed that his daughter bought a Toyota Altis worth P682,000 on cash.

Respondent and his family also made several trips abroad, with an estimated cost of roundtrip airfare worth P810,000.

Respondent also did not file his SALNs for the years 1990, 1992, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2003, and 2004.    – Edu Punay