Kidnappings at the BIR: 10 and counting

Ten cases, by any crime — whether it’s a white-collar activity or a murder in cold blood — should already be considered a serious problem. A killer for instance needs to have only at least three victims for him to be considered as a serial killer. Ten kidnapping cases in a single government agency should, therefore, be very, very alarming.

?A year after I first wrote about Kidnappings at the BIR (Eyes Wide Open, Aug. 29, 2018), multiple sources, including former ranking BIR officials, told me that the problem remains unresolved.

Word going around nowadays is that 10 BIR insiders have already been kidnapped by an organized group which seems to have set their sights only on BIR officers. Some estimate that the cases have gone up to 12 or more. 

However, there is no “official tally” because the incidents are only talked about in whispers. 

Because of the worsening problem, sources said, some BIR officers have opted to just retire earlier than planned. 

Some don’t report to their offices on a daily basis anymore.

“Some officers are laying low so they will not be followed (by the kidnappers),” said one source. 

News of a kidnapping

To those of you who are not familiar with the issue, it all started with one kidnapping case, followed by another and so on. The kidnappings are happening at the BIR, victimizing agency officers. The issue was first talked about in the BIR community, as well as in the intelligence and policy circles, more than a year ago.

Modus operandi

The kidnappers, as I wrote then, come in two vehicles, usually two sports utility vehicles — dark and hulking — or one SUV and one sedan.

 They will trail you, abduct you and force you to bring them to where you live.

Whether it’s in a gated village, a condominium or just in an ordinary street, they know where it is.  And there, inside your very own home, they will get the cash inside your vault in exchange for your freedom. Fearing for your life, you will heed their demands.

The ransom money ranged from P36 million, P60 million to P130 million.

The victims have refused to file complaints for obvious reasons. They cannot really explain why they have such huge amounts in their vaults. It’s also perhaps the same reasons why they opted to keep their money in their homes rather than in the safety deposit boxes of banks.

One source said that one victim was even kidnapped twice. 

Conspiracy theories

Another source said the perpetrators likely have contacts inside or probably even have BIR insiders as part of their group. This seems very possible because the kidnappers know their victims well — well  enough to know how much they have in their vaults.

The BIR said last year that it was surprised and alarmed at the news reports. It also said that reports of alleged kidnapping are unverified and the amount is speculative and without basis.

But the BIR said it was seriously looking into the alleged incidents to determine its veracity and to undertake the necessary actions, “including implementing a security plan to protect its revenuers.”

One year on, I wonder what happened to the BIR’s investigation. How come these kidnapping incidents are still happening?

Authorities should really be alarmed. The problem might escalate beyond the BIR and may move to other agencies, say for instance the Bureau of Customs (BOC) which is also a government revenue office. 

It is clear that kidnappers are having a heyday because the victims don’t want to report what happened to them. However, this should not stop authorities from proactively looking into the matter. 

More importantly, the government should also look into what else can be done to address corruption in the bureaucracy, which at the end of the day is the root of all evil including perhaps the money in their vaults.

The Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission has recently named the BIR as still one of the most corrupt government agencies in the country, together with the Bureau of Customs, and the Department of Public Works and Highways. 

In his State of the Nation Address, President Duterte said “corruption continues and emasculates the courage we need to sustain our moral recovery initiatives.”

Indeed, there’s a need to fix the deeper problem of corruption not just in one particular government agency, but also in the whole bureaucracy because as what we’re hearing now, the malaise creates more problems and this time, it has even led to criminal activities.

Iris Gonzales’ email address is [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @eyesgonzales. Column archives at eyesgonzales.com