By Jeffrey Damicog
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) today (March 23) filed before the Office of the Ombudsman a criminal complaint against a former Bureau of Customs (BOC) official has been blamed for failing to raise a red flag in the shipment of P6.4 billion of illegal drugs last year.
NBI (Credits: Google Maps | Manila Bulletin file photo)
NBI spokesman Ferdinand Lavin said the NBI’s Anti Graft Division (NBI-AGD) filed the complaint against former BOC Custom Risk Management Office head Larribert Hilario; his wife, former Vice Mayor Maria Concepcion Hilario of Taft, Eastern Samar; their driver Dino Dotingco; and Jerlie Adel.
Under the complaint, the respondents are accused of violating Republic Act 6713, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees; RA 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; RA 13798, an Act Declaring Forfeiture in Favor of Government of unlawfully acquired property; and falsification of public documents under Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code.
“This was rather a long investigation for the NBI and they came up with the conclusion, submitted recommendations, that the spouses amassed wealth closely disproportionate to the means or the income of Atty. Larribert Hilario,” Lavin said.
In its complaint, the NBI indicated that the couple failed to declare properties and assets in their respective Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) which is required of them.
“Meron rin silang hindi dineclare nilang properties (There were properties they failed to declare),” said AGD Executive Officer Marlon Tauli.
NBI Senior Agent Mark Dayrit noted the couple also included in their original SALNs real properties not registered to them nor belonging to family and relatives.
Dayrit said among the properties the couple failed to include in their SALNs include a parcel of land, a car, and a franchise operating taxis.
The NBI also discovered that a business permit has been issued to Cangco Dotingco Enterprises (CDE) which is registered under Dino Dotingco as an import-export business.
“Gumamit sila ng dummy. Meron silang driver at tsaka parang errand boy na utus-utusan nila na ginamit nila yung pangalan para mag-apply ng import at export permit at tsaka ng business permit sa Manila City Hall at tsaka sa Bureau of Customs (They even their driver as a dummy to secure an import-export permit, business permit from the Manila City Hall and BOC),” he added.
Taul said, based on BOC records, the CDE has an export and import transaction amounting to P1,775,338,247 from 2014 to 2017.
He added that CDE continued to operate “even though their office is already closed on May 2016 and actually they have no staff.”