Cagayan customs collector in hot water

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Finance’s (DoF) antigraft body has filed with the Office of the Ombudsman a complaint against a customs district collector in Cagayan for allegedly fabricated and inconsistent declarations in his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).

According to the DOF-Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS), Enrico Turingan Jr., who works at the Port of Aparri, did not declare ownership of two lots in Batangas and also reported lower values for other real properties and assets.

In its complaint filed last June 19, DOF-RIPS said Turingan should be suspended pending preliminary investigation by the Ombudsman of his “undisclosed assets and business interest, as well as his fabricated and inconsistent declarations in his sworn SALNs.

DOF-RIPS said that based on its investigation, Turingan failed to account for two real properties in Talisay, Batangas, which the Registry of Deeds of Tanauan City showed to be registered under the names of Turingan and his wife, Susana Arellano.