BIR officer caught in entrapment for “bribery deal”

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — A female employee of the Bureau of Internal Revenue in Bacolod City is now in hot water, after she was arrested Wednesday by operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation, for alleged bribery, during an entrapment operation at a government office at Barangay Taculing, this city.

The arrested suspect was identified as Julie Hernaez, BIR revenue officer 1, who is now detained at the NBI headquarters in Bacolod City and will face charges for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, bribery, and the Code of Conduct for Public Officials.

NBI Special Investigator William de Arca Jr., said Hernaez allegedly asked for P125,000 from complainant Genevieve Buenaflor, an employee of JP Ramos Trading Corporation, for the release of a tax form. This was on top of the P125,000 tax payment that should be paid to the bank.

Arca, who acted as an employee of JP Ramos Trading, said he apprehended Hernaez inside the BIR-Bacolod assessment office, after the latter received the P100,000 cheque and P25,000 cash, in exchange for the corporate tax form. (FREEMAN)