5 indicted in tax scam

Four former officials of the Department of Finance and a textile trader have been indicted for graft and estafa in the Sandiganbayan for their alleged involvement in a tax credit scam in 1998.

Indicted were former Undersecretary Antonio Belicena, former deputy executive director Uldarico Andutan Jr., review officer Asuncion Magdaet, evaluator Melrose Tordesillas, and Lorna Gamboa, secretary and manager of garment firm Texasia Inc.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor, which filed the charges the other day, said the four former finance officials allegedly connived to defraud the government of some P2.1 million in revenues when they issued a tax credit certificate which offered tax exemption to Texasia without any thorough scrutiny.

In recommending the filing of charges, approved by chief special prosecutor Dennis Villa Ignacio, graft prober Marybel Jarlos-Martin said the four former finance officials allegedly had "unity of purpose" in granting a P2.1-million tax credit certificate to Texasia.

The National Bureau of Investigation found the supporting papers to be allegedly non-existent or forged and the receipts allegedly issued to other companies.