Ombudsman's Office suspends BIR, BOC officials on DOF complaint

The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the six-month suspension of two public officials, a development which brings the Department of Finance (DOF) a step closer to winning the fight against erring government people, the department’s special unit said Wednesday. The separate orders stemmed from separate investigations by the DOF Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS). RIPs investigates allegations of corruption in the department and its attached agencies — Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Bureau of Customs (BOC), Bureau of Local Government Finance, Bureau of Treasury, Central Board of Assessment Appeals, Insurance Commission, National Tax Research Center, Fiscal Incentives Review Board and Privatization and Management Office. The DOF unit charged Myrna Ramirez, Revenue Officer III of the BIR for dishonesty and grave misconduct, and Marlina Osmillo — BOC operations officer V — for violating the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. Based on its 2008 complaint, RIPS alleged that Ramirez had steadily amassed wealth upon joining the BIR as a mere casual employee in 1978, until her current position as Revenue Officer III in 2001. Through her tenure, Ramirez was able to acquire various real properties in Quezon City, Caloocan, Nueva Ecija and Gen. Trias in Cavite, as well as several vehicles. Ramirez also failed to disclose in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Networth (SALN) various other properties, including one of her motor vehicles, an apartment in Balintawak, Quezon City and her business and other financial interests. Osmillo, meanwhile, made false, incomplete and misleading statements in her SALNs, concealing her amassed wealth from public attention and scrutiny, the RIPS alleged in its October 2006 complaint. According to RIPS, tnvestigation showed that apart from Osmillo’s numerous assets, she had purchased real properties in Antipolo and Quezon City which were not stated in her SALNs. — VS, GMA News