Tax evasion complaint filed vs. firm owner, BIR employee

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Thursday filed a criminal complaint against a firm owner and an employee of the bureau for allegedly manipulating sales machines leading to a revenue loss of over P6 billion.

Interviewed following the filing at the Department of Justice, BIR chief Romeo “Jun” Lumagui said the sole proprietor of the software management company is the wife of the BIR employee.

Lumagui said the initial revenue loss was estimated at P6.4 billion.

“Gaya ng sinabi ko, kasama siya [BIR employee] dito sa kaso dahil siya pa mismo ang nagi-install nitong pandarayang... 'yung pagmamanipulya na kinakabit doon sa makina na nagri-record ng benta,” Lumagui said.

(As I said, he is involved because he is the one installing the software that manipulates the machines recording the sale.)

According to Lumagui, the software will sometimes decrease figures or erase the record of the transaction.

“Ang nangyayari sa resibong natatanggap ninyo ay tama pa rin naman yung figure na nakasulat doon. Pero pagdating sa software, doon sa makina noon, doon na nagkakaroon ng pangmamanipula,” he said.

(The receipts still have the correct figure. The manipulation happens in the software.)

The BIR chief said the couple already sold the software to four companies that were mostly in retail.

According to the BIR, the complaint was for violation of 264-B of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended.

Lumagui said he has also signed the dismissal order of the employee, who has worked in the bureau for over 10 years.  —KBK, GMA Integrated News