Philippine Finance Department Intensifies Crackdown on Corruption

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Department of Finance (DOF) has announced an escalation in its anti-corruption efforts, as reported on Wednesday. The DOF’s Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS) has amplified its initiatives against graft, having launched numerous investigations into public officials and employees within its oversight.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Department of Finance, from July 2022 to September 30, RIPS has initiated 58 investigations into alleged misconduct within several government bureaus. The probes encompass 23 investigations into the Bureau of Customs; 23 into the Bureau of Internal Revenue; six within the Bureau of Local Government Finance; and single investigations into the Insurance Commission, the DOF itself, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Philippine Deposit Insurance Commission. Legal action has included the filing of five cases with the Civil Service Commission and six with the Office of the Ombudsman against individuals from the BIR, BOC, and BLGF, resulting in eight favorable resolutions during President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s term.

Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in fiscal management and the role of RIPS, established under Executive Order 259 in 2003, in maintaining these principles. RIPS has also launched a Green Lane Committee in cooperation with the BOC and BIR, improved its RIPS Alert System for monitoring, and enhanced the functionality of its RIPS Sumbong Website to support the public in reporting corrupt practices.