Ex-Finance exec cleared in tax credit scam case

The Sandiganbayan has acquitted former Department of Finance Executive Director Uldarico Andutan Jr. and two others of criminal charges over the alleged grant of P4.396 million in tax credits to a bus company that allegedly submitted falsified documents.

In a decision dated Jan. 11, the court’s Fifth Division cleared Andutan, the deputy executive director of the One-Stop Shop Inter-Agency Tax Credit and Duty Drawback Center, of one count each of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and use of falsified documents.

Also cleared were Raul de Vera and Brandy Marzan.

The three were accused of processing in January 1998 the application of AMA Transport Services Inc. for tax credits related to its purchase of 14 Mercedes Benz bus units from Commercial Motors Corp. (CMC).

Prosecutors said CMC and the Land Transportation Office had confirmed that the invoices and certificates submitted by AMA were spurious or falsified. —Vince F. Nonato