BOC officer, 7 BIR execs suspended

The Office of the Ombudsman ordered yesterday the preventive suspension of a Bureau of Customs (BOC) officer and seven Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) executives who failed the government’s lifestyle check.

Suspended for 60 days were Felix Embalsado, BOC operations officer at the Port of Batangas; Emily de Luna Singson, BIR revenue officer IV in Calamba, Laguna; and Myrna Ramirez, BIR revenue officer III in Quezon City.

Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez said all three have been administratively charged for violation of Republic Act 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees) for allegedly amassing wealth grossly disproportionate to their legitimate income and for failure to report their acquired properties in their Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs).

Investigation revealed that Embalsado, who was also charged with misconduct, was able to acquire prime real estate properties worth P11 million in Tanauan City, Batangas, including three buildings and five high-end vehicles.

Singson was charged with dishonesty for allegedly amassing unexplained wealth amounting to P15 million.

Ramirez, on the other hand, is also facing charges of falsification and perjury and violation of Section 8 of RA 3019 for supposedly making untruthful and incorrect statements in her SALN, frequent travels abroad and acquiring unexplained wealth, including residential and agricultural lots valued at P1.97 million.

Gutierrez also ordered the preventive suspension of five other BIR officers who failed in the lifestyle check, too.

The five were Herma Gonzales-Escudero, BIR chief revenue officer III in Cotabato City; Delilah Awing, BIR revenue officer II, and Jul Abdulmandangan, BIR revenue officer I, both in the Zamboanga Peninsula; Cherry Ombos, BIR revenue examiner I in Surigao City; and Lucien Sayuno, former BIR regional director in San Pablo City.