NBI Arrests a BIR Employee For Graft

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) today announced the arrest of an employee of the Bureau of Internal Revenue Office –RDO 91 by the NBI- Dipolog District Office (NBI-DIPDO) in Dipolog City for robbery extortion.

NBI Officer-In-Charge (OIC) Director Eric B. Distor identified the subject as RENAN HECHANOVA y ALFORQUE.

Director Distor said that the operation stemmed from the complaint by the victim of Subject Hechanova. The complainant alleged that sometime in November 2021, a Letter of Authority that was served to him by the BIR-RDO 19, stating that he has a tax deficiency of Php 4.5 Million. The complainant added that sometime in December, personnel from the BIR, Dipolog City, called him and asked for Php 400,000.00 as settlement of his tax deficiencies. The complainant added that he was threatened that if he will not comply with the demand, his case will be forwarded to their Regional Office in Zamboanga City and he will be forced to pay Php 4.5 Million.

On the third week of December 2021, the complainant went to the BIR office where he met two (2) BIR examiners namely Renan Hechanova and Benjie Sumalpong. The subject begged to the two BIR examiners to give him time to produce the demanded Php 400,000.00 which was granted by the two (2).

Thus, an entrapment operation was planned and on January 18, 2022, the NBI-DIPDO operatives together with the complainant proceeded to the BIR-Office in Dipolog City but upon arrival at the target area in the morning of the same date, the complainant was instructed to return at 4:30 in the afternoon.

As instructed, Agents and Complainant returned in the afternoon. The operatives positioned themselves strategically in the vicinity of the BIR office and upon receiving of the pre-arranged signal, signifying the perfection of the transaction, the operatives immediately swooped in and apprehended Subject Hechanova in flagrante. Recovered from the subject were the marked money he received from the complainant.

Subject Hechanova will be charged for violation of Article 294 (Robbery with violence against or intimidation of persons) under the Revised Penal Code, as amended; violation of R.A. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Practices Act); and violation of R.A. 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees).