The Department of Finance (DOF) said it continues the rigorous lifestyle checks on its officials and employees as well as advocating a continuing review of processes and procedures in all its offices to further reduce opportunities for corruption.
Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said the DOF and its attached agencies have long been investigating allegations of dishonesty and corrupt practices as well as been at the forefront of the government drive against “state capture.”
The DOF has been sharing its knowledge about state capture with regulators and key government officials to help identify the manipulative schemes perpetuated by “these grafters and influence peddlers,” Dominguez said.
The finance chief described that the “state capture” as “one of the worst forms of corruption” involving private individuals who attempt to influence policy-making and undermine the public interest for their own benefit.
Within the DOF and it attached agencies, he said the Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS) has initiated investigations against 403 officials and employees since President Duterte took office in 2016.
“Public officials and employees should be held to the highest standards of integrity and accountability. Rest assured, the Department of Finance will always be at the forefront of the institution of necessary reforms to achieve the President’s goals,” Dominguez said.
Created in 2003, the RIPS is mandated to detect and investigate allegations and prevent corruption in the DOF and its attached agencies such as the Bureaus of Internal Revenue (BIR) and of Customs.
The anti-corruption probes of the RIPS have led to the filing of administrative and/or criminal cases against 60 errant public officers, of which 14 have already been dismissed from the service, Dominguez said.
To further strengthen its anti-graft campaign even amid the mobility restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, Dominguez said the DOF has also launched a “Sumbong” page on its website devoted to receiving information from the public about suspected corrupt practices.
Informants may submit evidence through the "Sumbong" page showing properties or lifestyles grossly disproportional to the pay levels of employees of the DOF and its attached agencies.
“Beyond penalizing offending public officers, the DOF is advocating a continuing review of processes and procedures in all its offices to reduce opportunities for corrupt practices,” Dominguez said.
He said the DOF is accelerating the adoption of digital technologies within the agency and in its attached agencies to further enhance transparency and reduce the margin of discretion “that is ultimately the source of graft in the bureaucracy.”