A total of 132 employees of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) have been formally charged or faced complaints, former BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Thursday, December 11.

The disclosure came during a hearing on allegations that some BIR officials are using Letters of Authority (LOAs) to pressure business owners. Lumagui said the agency acts promptly once a complainant provides complete documentation and is willing to pursue a formal complaint.

“Any case with complete documents, we act on immediately,” Lumagui told the panel. “The problem is sometimes complainants are unwilling to provide evidence or execute affidavits, which prevents formal cases from being filed.”

Senator Erwin Tulfo asked Lumagui whether BIR management monitored employees with pending corruption cases and how many were charged or dismissed during his tenure.

Lumagui replied, “The total of formal charges, including decisions already executed, is 132. For all those with documentation, such as the entrapment case in Taguig, we immediately conducted an investigation. I issued a preventive suspension order and filed formal charges within days."

The hearing is part of the Senate’s probe into alleged abuses of the LOA system by BIR personnel, which has drawn public scrutiny from businesses nationwide.