BIR officer, two others collared for extortion — NBI

MANILA, Philippines — A Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) officer and two others were arrested in an entrapment operation in Plaridel, Bulacan on March 21, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said Monday.

NBI Director Dante Gierran named the suspects as Reynaldo Lojuco, Revenue Officer 2 assigned at BIR’s office in Plaridel, Bulacan; Sheila Marie Santiago; and Kim Cariño. They were collared for allegedly extorting money from a man with pending tax cases.

According to NBI, the arrest of the suspects stemmed from a complaint against Lojuco, who allegedly asked money from the complainant in exchange for the suppression of his tax case, which was previously provisionally dismissed by Caloocan Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 50.

Lojuco allegedly threatened the complainant that he will revive the latter’s tax case should he fail to pay him P300,000.

NBI said Lojuco allegedly further demanded the same amount for the complainant’s other three cases pending before BIR.

The complainant negotiated that the amount be paid in three monthly payments to which Lojuco agreed.

An entrapment operation was then hatched in time for the meeting of Lojuco and his companions, and the complainant in Plaridel, where the complainant pledged to initially pay P100,000.

Last March 22, the suspects were presented before the Department of Justice Task Force for Special Cases for inquest proceedings for violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices, Direct Bribery, and Robbery Extortion. /kga