Tax collector dismissed for accepting bribe

A revenue collection clerk in Malabuyoc town, Cebu, was dismissed from service for accepting bribe from taxpayers transacting business with their office.

Emerito Devilleres, revenue collection clerk 1, was ordered dismissed from civil service by the Ombudsman in the Visayas for asking for money in exchange for the facilitation of the transfer of name of the tax declarations of the lands bought by the complainants.

In their complaint, Roque Tamayo, Pilar dela Pena, Alberto Devlilleres, Conrado Leorque and Renidas Leorque accused the revenue collector of demanding P40,000 from them.

Despite giving in to the demands of the revenue collector, the complainants told the Ombudsman that he still failed to deliver the services as promised to them.

Demanding and receiving money from taxpayers in return for favors in government transactions, according to the Ombudsman in the Visayas, is a violation of the Revised Uniform Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service.

Devilleres did not submit his counter-affidavit despite notice from the Ombudsman.

Aside from dismissal from the civil service, the Ombudsman also meted cancellation of his civil service eligibility, forfeited his retirement benefits and perpetual disqualification from employment in any branch of the government.

Graft investigation and prosecution officer Llorene Grace Razo-Ompod said the evidence against Devilleres was substantial.

“A perusal of the evidence overwhelmingly shows that the respondent, using his position as revenue collection clerk, had received several amounts from the complainants in different periods of time,” Ompod said.

Among the evidences that pinned Devilleres was the written kasabutan or agreement that the complainants submitted to the antigraft office.

She said the acts of Devilleres clearly constituted violation of the law that prohibits government workers from “receiving for personal use of a fee, gift or other valuable thing in the course of official duties in the hope or expectation of receiving a favor or better treatment than that accorded to other persons.”

Ompod’s findings were approved by Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol and Assistant Ombudsman Virginia Palanca-Santiago. /Ador Vincent Mayol, Reporter