Customs employee sued for amassing unexplained wealth

The Department of Finance (DOF) has filed before the Office of the Ombudsman criminal and administrative charges against an employee of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for allegedly amassing unexplained wealth. The DOF-Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS) alleged that the woman employee violated the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act or Republic Act 3019, Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, and Revised Penal Code for falsification of public documents and perjury. GMA News Online is withholding the identity of the woman, because of the severity of the allegations against her. DOF-RIPS executive director Jun Tomas told GMA News Online the employee, who used to accredit importers or brokers, extorted money from them to hasten the release of their papers. "Based on the complaint lodged [with] us by a group of Customs brokers, we found out that she exacts P50,000 to P100,000 from them per application so she can process their papers right away," the executive director said. The Customs commissioner's office eventually transferred the employee to the BOC's intellectual property rights division, Tomas said. "Nung nakalipat na siya ng division, hindi pa rin siya tumigil. Tuloy pa rin siyang nanloloko," he added. He said the accused, who still works with the BOC, has a gross monthly salary of P19,168. Despite this, employee was able to buy a Honda CR-V sports utility vehicle and a collection of expensive jewelry, Tomas said. In less than a year, the woman's net worth surprisingly rose by P17 million, according to the DOF official. Tomas pointed out that De Guzman made misleading and false declarations in her December 2006-March 2007 statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth. The employee, however, argued she simply forgot to disclose an parcel of land in Cavite. Tomas also said that the BOC employee inflated the value of her Cavite and Parañaque properties to P26 million from just P10 million. "In-inflate n'ya 'yung value ng assets niya to conceal and shield her unexplained wealth from public scrutiny." While waiting for Ombudsman's decision on the case, the anti-graft court may place the woman on preventive suspension for six months, according to the DOF. "A guilty verdict against [the employee] will result in her dismissal from government service... and forfeiture of her illegally amassed wealth," Tomas also said. For criminal charges, she may be imprisoned if proven guilty by the court, the DOF official said. Under the Revised Penal Code, falsification of public documents by a public officer carry a six- to 12-year prison term and a fine of not more than P5,000, while perjury is penalized by imprisonment of one month and one day to six months and up to six months and one day to six years. — JE/OMG/VS, GMA News