Ex-DOF execs get 70 years for tax credit scam

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has sentenced two former officials of the Department of Finance (DOF) to up to 70 years in prison in connection with the allegedly anomalous issuance of P17.8 million worth of tax credit certificates (TCCs) to a bus company in 1997.

Uldarico Andutan Jr. and Raul de Vera, former heads of the DOF Inter-agency Tax Credit and Duty Drawback Center and Net Local Content/Net Value, respectively, were found guilty of seven counts of graft.

They allegedly issued TCCs to RA Rodriguez Bus Line between June 1997 and May 1998.

Two other respondents – tax specialists Rosanna Diala and Brandy Marzan – were also convicted of graft.

Diala and Marzan were sentenced to 50 and 20 years in prison, respectively.

The Sandiganbayan archived the graft complaint against former finance undersecretary Antonio Belicena, who has been diagnosed with dementia.

The anti-graft court’s Seventh Division said the respondents gave the bus firm unwarranted benefit when it was illegally given TCCs.