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The Department of Finance (DOF) website allows public to submit information against DOF and its attached agencies’ officers and personnel with lifestyles grossly disproportionate to their lawful incomes
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The “Information against Corruption Page” is accessible under the Advocacies/Anti-Corruption menu of the DOF website
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DOF’s Revenue Integrity Protection Service will run the page
The Department of Finance (DOF) has launched a page on its website which allows the public to submit any information on corruption among officers and personnel of DOF and its attached agencies, such as the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
The “Information against Corruption Page” allows the public to submit any information on officers and personnel of DOF and its attached agencies who might own properties or live lifestyles grossly disproportionate to their lawful incomes.
The page, which is accessible under the Advocacies/Anti-Corruption menu of the DOF website, can be accessed at https://www.dof.gov.ph/report-corruption/.
DOF-attached agencies include BOC, BIR, Bureau of the Treasury, Bureau of Local Government Finance, Insurance Commission, National Tax Research Center, Central Board of Assessment Appeals, Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation, Philippine Export-Import Credit Agency, Privatization and Management Office, and Securities and Exchange Commission.
DOF in a statement said the launching of the page is in support of the latest directive by the President to flush out grafters from the bureaucracy.
The submission of information initiates the power of the finance secretary under Executive Order (EO) No. 259 series of 2003 to investigate such information, submit the findings to the Office of the Ombudsman, and ask for the criminal prosecution and dismissal from the service of errant officials and personnel.
Traditionally, any information on suspected corruption needs to be reported to DOF face to face, but with the ongoing pandemic, this online tool allows the public to safely submit information directly to the DOF through their mobile devices.
DOF noted that even prior to the launch of the page, its Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS) team has been conducting investigations on corruption within the department and its attached agencies.
Though RIPS is not a part of the Department of Justice (DOJ) Mega Task Force created a few weeks ago to investigate graft, Dominguez has informed Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra about the team and its mandate to detect, investigate and prevent corruption at the DOF and its attached agencies.
Dominguez in his letter to Guevarra said the DOF would be pleased to assist the DOJ in investigating allegations of corruption in the entire bureaucracy.
“(The RIPS) has the authority to gather evidence and file the appropriate criminal, civil or administrative complaints against government officials and employees in the said offices before the appropriate court, or administrative body and actively assist in the prosecution of the cases,” Dominguez added.
Since July 2016, the RIPS has initiated investigations against 384 officials and employees of DOF and its attached agencies.
The RIPS was able to secure successful resolutions against 57 individuals charged before the Civil Service Commission and the Office of the Ombudsman, 14 of whom were ordered dismissed from the service.
Dominguez said the DOJ may coordinate with RIPS executive director Ray Gilberto Espinosa “to discuss how our respective departments can work together towards this effort.”
