NBI ARRESTS BIR EMPLOYEE FOR EXTORTION

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) today announced the arrest of an employee of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) by the NBI-Vigan District Office (NBI-VIDO) inside BIR office in Bantay, Ilocos Sur for extorting money.

NBI Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Director Eric B. Distor identified the subject as CYNGTHIA G. NONES.

Director said that the operation stemmed from a complaint filed by the victim of Subject Nones. The complainant alleged that she owned a business and Subject Nones of BIR in Bantay, Ilocos Sur is extorting from her P150,000.00. Subject Nones informed the complainant of her assessed tax liability of Php 300,000.00 for a certain tax period. The complainant then asked for a breakdown of her tax assessment, which showed that her tax liability is only P150,000.00 instead of Php 300,000.00. The complainant asked Subject Nones and for a breakdown of the other half, which Subject responded that the Php 150,000.00 will not appear on paper as they allegedly used some of it for their expenses in processing Complainant’s documents as well as a form of compensation for their reducing of her tax liability in the official records.

The complainant proceeded to the payment of her official tax liability of P150,000.00 but the Subject demanded P150,000.00 as their compensation in reducing her tax liability. The complainant then asked Subject enough time to raise the money for fear that the BIR-RDO will make business difficult for her.

Due to her fear, the complainant was compelled to report the incident to NBI-VIDO. On November 18, 2021, the complainant informed NBI-VIDO that Subject Nones instructed her to deliver the Php 150,000.00 to her office at the BIR office but it didn’t pushed through because the Subject instructed the complainant that she will just get the money from the latter’s house but the same also did not push through. Subject Nones and the complainant agreed that if the latter cannot come to the subject’s office in Bantay, La Union she will order one of her drivers to deliver the money to the Subject’s office.

Thus, on November 19, 2021, NBI-VIDO proceeded to the target meeting area outside the office of Subject Nones. The complainant’s car driven by one of the operatives stopped in front of the BIR office in Bantay, La Union where the Subject approached the vehicle and received the marked money from the complainant. At this juncture, NBI-VIDO operatives immediately arrested the subject.

Subject Nones was presented for Inquest proceedings before the Provincial Prosecutors Office for Direct Bribery as defined and penalized under Article 210 of the Revised Penal Code as amended; violation of Section 269 (d) of R.A. 8424, otherwise known as the “Tax Reform Act of 1997”; violation of Section 7 (d) of R.A. 6713, otherwise known as the “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officers”; violation of Section 3 (b) or R.A. 3019, otherwise known as the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act”; Robbery with Intimidation as defined and penalized under Article 293 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC); and administrative complaint for Grave Misconduct under pertinent provisions of the Civil Service Law.9Press  Release)