Sen. JV Ejercito criticized Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) personnel for allegedly using letters of authority (LOA) to extort local and foreign businessmen.
He reported the complaints to the Department of Finance after EU ambassadors and international chambers of commerce also raised concerns over the alleged abuses.
Ejercito claimed that while the BIR intended to generate P6 billion to P8 billion from LOA, only P2 billion to P3 billion was collected, with just 30 percent reaching the national coffers.
The senator said some revenue officers and regional directors were implicated in the extortion scheme, prompting calls for a government “hard reboot.”
Meanwhile, Sen. Erwin Tulfo urged the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to investigate the allegations.
Source: PhilNews24 | November 26, 2025
