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Sunday, August 24, 2003
BIR reg’l chief welcomes lifestyle check; Roco backs study
ASSISTANT Regional Director Rogelio Zambarrano of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)-Region 12 welcomed the Transparency Group’s lifestyle check on BIR employees.
Former Sen. Raul Roco, on the other hand, supports the lifestyle check on BIR employees and that of another government big revenue-generating agency - the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
The Transparency Group is composed of the Department of Finance Internal Affairs Unit and the Central Management Information Office.
Zambarrano said top government officers are subjected for the nationwide lifestyle check.
“We in the regional office welcomes the lifestyle check conducted on government employees. I am abiding with the lifestyle check of the Transparency Group,” said Zambarrano.
He said that government employees are required to comply with the requirement of the government in declaring their statement of assets and liabilities.
“On my part, there is nothing to be afraid of,” said Zambarrano.
“Those who are afraid are those who have questionable properties and whose income does not match with their acquired properties and investments based on their declared statement of assets and liabilities,” said Zambarrano.
Zambarrano disclosed that graft and corruption in BIR exists only because they are initiated by taxpayers themselves in the latter’s hope to expedite the processing of their papers.
“There are many good people in our office, however, they are being tempted by taxpayers in the so-called ‘under-the-table’ transactions,” said Zambarrano.
On the other hand, Roco, who was one of the guest of honors in the 7th Drugstores Association of the Philippines National Convention, said the country’s economy is suffering because ‘it lacks credibility.’
“We must redeem the moral ascendancy and credibility of the government,” Roco said.
He cited that the country must develop zero tolerance for corruption and it could be shown only through respect for the law.
“Everybody should be equidistant to the President, walang palakasan (there should be no favoritism),” he said.
Corruption, Roco added, erodes the credibility of the government whether all the allegations are true or not.
“When there is smoke there must be fire. Whoever is involved they must clear it to the people,” he said.
Finance Sec. Isidro Camacho earlier said that the findings of the Transparency Group on the millionaires in the Bureau of Customs and BIR will serve as the take-off for a wider lifestyle check.
Reports earlier indicated that among those charged with graft are Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Salvador Pleyto, DPWH Regional Director Romeo Panganiban, Customs Deputy Commissioner Gil Valera, Customs Deputy Collector Jamie Maglipon and Miscellaneous Division Chief Flor Aguilar.
(August 23, 2003 issue)
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