TAGUIG CITY, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman is stepping up lifestyle checks on officials from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) following reports that certain government personnel have been demanding unauthorized payments from businesses.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla announced the intensified scrutiny during a speech before the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) in Taguig City on Friday, November 13.
According to Remulla, the Ombudsman has received troubling reports of businesses being charged amounts that exceed legally prescribed fees, with the excess collected entirely without official receipts.
“And that is why I am announcing today that we will intensify our lifestyle checks on officials of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs,” Remulla said.
“These are the two agencies entrusted with collecting money that builds our roads, our schools, and our hospitals. That money belongs to the Filipino people. It does not belong to the officer who collects it,” he added.
Unofficial Collections Outpace Legitimate Taxes
Remulla noted that in some instances, the untracked collections surpassed the officially documented payments, meaning companies were forced to pay more in kickbacks than in actual state taxes.
“Pero may mga ulat kaming natatanggap na humihingi sa mga negosyo ng higit sa itinakda ng batas, at ang sobra ay walang resibo,” he said.
“Linawin natin ’to. Walang lehitimong bayad sa gobyerno na walang resibo. Bawat pisong binabayad sa estado ay dapat may resibo. Ang bayad na walang resibo ay hindi buwis. Corruption ’yan,” he went on.
“Sa ilan sa mga ulat na ito, mas malaki pa ang walang resibo kesa sa may resibo. Isipin ninyo ’yan, mas malaki ang napupunta sa bulsa ng iilan kesa sa kaban ng bayan,” he added.
“Dalawang beses nagbabayad ang negosyante, at wala pang kalahati ang napupunta sa ating bansa.”
While acknowledging that many business owners resort to paying bribes simply to avoid delays and bureaucratic red tape, the Ombudsman strongly urged the private sector to reject extortion.
“’Wag nating ituring na bahagi sa gastos ng negosyo ang sobre. Naiintindihan ko kung bakit marami ang natutong magbayad, pero bawat bayad ay nagtuturo sa sistema na gumagana sa paninikil,” he said.
Remulla stressed that the government bears the responsibility of creating a secure environment where enterprises can decline illegal demands without fearing retaliation.
“Kung babaguhin natin ’to, tungkulin ng gobyerno na gawing ligtas ang pagtanggi. ’Yan ang trabaho namin. Kailangan ng negosyo ang lakas nang loob na tumanggi. ’Yan ang bahagi niyo,” he said.
New Anti-Corruption Measures for Businesses
To combat corruption affecting commerce, Remulla announced plans to establish a permanent Investment Ombudsman office. The specialized unit will provide a dedicated channel for businesses to report graft without fearing retribution from the regulatory offices handling their applications.
Additionally, the Ombudsman will convene a regulatory summit in January 2027 to eliminate overlapping and conflicting government policies that foster bribery and fixers.
“Every unnecessary step is a place where someone can ask for money. Every contradiction is an opportunity for a fixer. Close the gap and you close the opportunity,” Remulla said.