|
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Nalzaro: Gamorot and Mary Ann
By Bobby Nalzaro
Revenue officer Benjamin Gamorot is reportedly bragging that in due time he will be back at the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) following his acquittal of graft charges by the Court of Appeals (CA).
The CA's 18th Division reversed the earlier decision of the lower court convicting Gamorot for violating the anti-graft and corrupt practices act because the prosecution failed to prove the case against him.
I am not questioning the justices’ decision but I am a bit frustrated by the outcome of the case.
The complainant, Francisco Dimataga, can also be blamed for it. He lost interest in pursuing the case and executed an affidavit of desistance.
Why Dimataga backed out has remained a 64-dollar question. Maybe Gamorot pleaded with him not to pursue the case. Or they agreed on an out-of-court settlement.
If Dimataga’s backing off was not a result of an agreement, then Gamorot should file counter charges against him for framing him up and destroying his reputation.
Police operatives nabbed Gamorot in an entrapment operation and while he was allegedly in the process of extorting money from Dimataga with the promise that he will facilitate the lowering of his capital gains tax payments.
But if Dimataga did lose interest in the case, why didn’t the Ombudsman and the BIR interfere and act as the complainant, using Dimataga as witness? The anti-graft office investigated and prosecuted Gamorot.
Was there extortion involved? There was none, said CA in its decision. Dimataga claimed he did not know where the P17,000 that Gamorot demanded went.
But if the transaction between Gamorot and Dimataga was above board, why was it done outside the BIR office? Does BIR allow its people to transact business outside the office?
If Gamorot really did what he was accused of, then I would say Dimataga has no concern for the country because he tolerates corruption in government. In that sense, he should have been jailed together with Gamorot.
***
The alleged corrupt acts at the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID) that were exposed recently and which triggered an investigation by the justice department may only be the tip of the iceberg.
A well-entrenched group is reportedly operating in the said office, protecting illegal aliens while using them as milking cows. When prosecutor Mary Ann Castro was detailed at the BID, the group was reportedly alarmed.
Castro would later be accused of meddling in BID affairs, a charge she denied but which prompted Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez to have her investigated anyway.
So is the current mess at the BID a turf war?
(bgnalzaro@gmanetwork.com/0918-2198333)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 23, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
