Secretary Manuel Roxas II accepts his appointment to the Department of Interior and Local Government replacing Sec. Jesse Robredo, as announced by President Benigno S. Aquino III during a press briefing at the President’s Hall in Malacanang Palace on Friday (August 31). On the other hand, Cavite 1st District Representative Joseph Emilio Abaya takes over the post of DOTC chief. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima will be the first to undergo lifestyle check to be conducted by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
BIR Commissioner Kim Henares said she and Roxas met last Tuesday regarding the procedure in subjecting police personnel under lifestyle check.
She said Roxas has volunteered to be the first one to have his assets scrutinized by the bureau.
“Tinanong niya kung pwede mag-volunteer. Sabi ko, ‘Pwede naman ho.’ So mukhang ganun na nga ang mangyayari. Kasi gusto niya daw by example, para hindi naman sabihin nung iba na, ‘Bakit ikaw, hindi mo ginawa yung lifestyle check sa sarili mo?’,” Henares said.
Henares said that after Roxas, the lifestyle check will be conducted on the highest ranking PNP officials, starting with Purisima. She, however, clarified that not all the 150,000 PNP members will be subjected to the lifestyle check as earlier reported by some media outfits.
Prioritization
“Hindi naman lahat. Syempre wala naman tayong resources para isailalim lahat. Magkakaroon tayo ng prioritization,” she said.
“Ang pagkaintindi ko ho sa usapan ay gagawin nilang systematic. More on yung pinakamatataas na opisyal muna pababa hanggang a certain level. Tapos yung sa mga mabababa ay random lang o kaya kung may reklamo,” she added.
Henares said the lifestyle check will be a joint effort of the Department of Interior and Local Government, National Police Commission (Napolcom), Office of the Ombudsman and the BIR.
Roxas on Wednesday ordered the lifestyle check of PNP officials following reports on the alleged involvement of several police officers in illegal activities.
Henares said the policemen allegedly involved in the EDSA “hulidap” extortion incident will automatically undergo a lifestyle check.
“Actually, kung may kaso o complaint, hindi naman na yan prioritization talagang automatic ginagawa yan,” she said.
SALN
Based on PNP data, an entry-level police personnel has monthly gross income of P20,404. Police personnel with the rank of inspector has a monthly gross pay of P41,575, the one-star rank police personnel or those with the rank of chief superintendent has a monthly gross pay of P76,753 while the PNP chief or director general has a monthly pay of P107,950.
Henares reminded police personnel that if they or their spouses have other business outside the PNP, it should be reflected in their Statement of Asset Liabilities and Net Worth. Income not stated in the SALN will be considered illegally-acquired.
“Kasi yung SALN ng government official, kasama dapat doon yung ari-arian ng asawa. Now if he said that the spouse has a business, then the business should be registered and they should have been filing income tax return,” Henares said.
She said those who will be found to have ill-gotten wealth under the lifestyle check will be slapped with criminal and administrative charges as well as a tax evasion case. (MNS)