Ex-DPWH Engineers Face P1.6-B Tax Evasion Raps After Lavish Lifestyles Exposed. The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), which is like the government’s tax collector, says that Alcantara, Hernandez, and Mendoza owe a lot of money. BIR Commissioner Lumagui said Alcantara’s tax bill is P900 million, Hernandez owes P600 million, and Mendoza’s is P180 million. That’s a total of over P1.6 billion!
MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has filed tax evasion complaints against former DPWH engineers Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, and Jaypee Mendoza, alleging they failed to pay P1.6 billion in taxes. The complaints, filed with the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday, November 6, accuse the trio of violating the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.
BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. stated, “We conducted a lifestyle check on Alcantara, Hernandez, and Mendoza. These 3 ex-DPWH officials had lavish lifestyles. We discovered P1.6 billion in income tax deficiencies alone after investigating their financial transactions, properties, business interests, and tax returns of the aforementioned individuals. This is a clear case of tax evasion.”
Lumagui specified the individual tax liabilities: P900 million for Alcantara, P600 million for Hernandez, and P180 million for Mendoza.
The BIR alleges that the former DPWH engineers, already implicated in a flood control corruption scandal, evaded taxes and deliberately failed to accurately report their income.
Investigators claim the three amassed “significant income” from “proponent shares,” or kickbacks, tied to flood-control projects. They then allegedly laundered the ill-gotten gains through casino gambling.
The BIR’s investigation, which included records from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation and various casinos, revealed that Alcantara, Hernandez, and Mendoza exchanged cash for casino chips in amounts “grossly disproportionate to their declared sources of income.”
Furthermore, Land Registration Authority and Land Transportation Office records showed the officials acquired luxury vehicles, high-value properties, and other personal assets that were “also grossly disproportionate to their declared sources of income.”
Three former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineers are in hot water, facing tax evasion charges amounting to over P1.6 billion. The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Lumagui announced that Alcantara, Hernandez, and Mendoza are accused of failing to accurately report their income, which allegedly came from kickbacks related to flood control projects.
“Alcantara’s tax liability is a staggering P900 million, while Hernandez owes P600 million, and Mendoza’s liability stands at P180 million,” Lumagui stated.
The BIR claims that the three engineers made a lot of money through “proponent shares,” which is basically a fancy way of saying kickbacks, from flood control projects. They then tried to hide the money by gambling in casinos.
Casino Chips and Luxury Cars
According to the BIR’s investigation, the engineers exchanged large amounts of cash for casino chips, amounts that were way out of line with what they reported as their income. The BIR got this info from records at the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the casinos themselves.
But that’s not all! The BIR also found that the officials bought luxury cars, expensive properties, and other personal stuff that they definitely couldn’t afford on their official salaries. These findings were based on records from the Land Registration Authority (LRA) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO).
The case is a big deal, highlighting how serious the government is about cracking down on corruption, especially in infrastructure projects. It looks like these former officials are about to face a tough legal battle.
Paying Taxes Won’t Save Them
Even if the engineers pay the taxes they owe, they’re still in trouble. Lumagui said that paying taxes is different from being charged with a crime. So, they’ll still face criminal charges in court.
These charges are just the latest in a series of accusations against DPWH officials for corruption. The engineers could also be charged with other crimes like graft (using their position for personal gain), stealing government money, and bribery.
More Trouble for Others Too
Before these charges, the BIR also filed tax evasion complaints against Sarah and Curlee Discaya, and another person from their company, St. Gerrard Construction. They owe a whopping P7.1 billion in taxes!
This whole situation shows that the government is serious about stopping corruption and making sure everyone pays their fair share of taxes.