2 more Landbank accounts probed

Two "private individuals" own two fictitious accounts at the Binangonan, Rizal, branch of the Land Bank of the Philippines which siphoned off part of the P205 million in stolen tax money, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said yesterday.

However, agents of the NBI’s Anti-Fraud and Computer Crimes Division refused to give any name.

The NBI has been investigating four fictitious bank accounts in the name of Roberto Lucero, Alma Clemente, Jose Francisco, and Joven Aquino.

Investigators are also checking if officials of the LandBank’s Binangonan branch and the Large Taxpayer’s Division of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) had connived in diverting tax money to the fictitious bank accounts.

The common factor here is the four accounts, NBI investigator Palmer Mallari said. "It appears that the LBP Binangonan branch was very lax in approving the opening of the accounts. At least nine large taxpayers were victimized by the tax payment diversion syndicate."

Mallari said they are looking at the angle that a criminal syndicate had intercepted checks paid to the BIR while being delivered to the LandBank.

Earlier, the NBI said other employees of the Binangonan branch will also be investigated to find out if they are involved in the elaborate operation to steal tax money.

NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco said investigators will question Ramon Joven, the branch cashier before Acsa Ramirez took over last April.

The four fictitious bank accounts, which siphoned off P205 million in stolen tax money, were opened when Joven was cashier of the Binangonan branch of LandBank, Wycoco added. – Mike Frialde