BIR supervisor nabbed for P1.5-million extortion try in Las Piñas

A Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) supervisor was arrested in an entrapment operation for attempting to extort P1.5 million in Las Piñas, according to John Consulta’s “24 Oras” report on Friday.

The suspect, Leonidea Marco, was arrested by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation in an operation.  Authorities recovered more than P1 million cash and his mobile phone with the details of the transaction. 

According to the complainant, Marco’s group conducted an investigation on their records even though they had already submitted the required legal documents.

Marco reportedly told the complainant that the matter could be settled by shelling out money.

“Yung P500,000 doon sa P1,550,000 million, mapupunta sa tax payable na babayaran directly sa Landbank. The P1 million mapupunta sabi niya ... doon sa mga kausap niya sa BIR office sa Las Piñas and the P50,000 for the legal department para ma-pull out yung case and then wala ng investigation,” lawyer Kristine Dela Cruz, executive officer of NBI Special Action Unit (SAU), said.

(The P500,000 of the P1,550,000 million will go to the tax payable, which will be paid directly to the Landbank. The P1 million will go to ... BIR office in Las Piñas, and the P50,000 for the legal department to pull out the case and so that it will no longer conduct an investigation.)

The suspect declined to make a comment.

He will face charges for violation of Republic Act 8424 or Tax Reform Act of 1997, RA 6713 or Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials, RA 3019 or Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and robbery extortion.—Richa Noriega/LDF, GMA News