Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno has ramped up the anti-graft efforts of the Department of Finance through the strengthened operations of the Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS).

“Prudent fiscal management must be underpinned by transparency and accountability. As custodians of public resources, we cannot afford to leave any room for graft and corruption,” Diokno said.

The RIPS, established under Executive Order No. 259 in 2003, serves as the DOF's anti-corruption division, responsible for conducting lifestyle checks, probing graft allegations, and initiating legal actions, both criminal and administrative, against officials and staff of the DOF, its bureaus, and attached agencies.

From July 2022 to September 2023, RIPS has launched a total of 58 investigations targeting officials and employees suspected of misconduct within its jurisdiction. 

These involve 23 cases linked to the Bureau of Customs, 23 cases pertaining to the Bureau of Internal Revenue, six cases associated with the Bureau of Local Government Finance, one case involving the Insurance Commission, and one case concerning the Department of Finance.

There are also three cases related to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and one case involving the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp.

It has filed five cases with the Civil Service Commission (CSC) against employees of the BIR, BOC, and BLFG; filed 6 cases with the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) against employees of the BIR; and has received 8 favorable resolutions during the term of President Marcos.

To further strengthen the fight against corruption, RIPS has established a Green Lane Committee with the BOC and BIR; made improvements to its existing monitoring system—the RIPS Alert System (RAS); and strengthened the capacity of its RIPS Sumbong Website.