EXCEEDING REVENUE TARGETS doesn’t seem enough for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who had just fired the government’s top tax collector.
In a statement, Malacañang Palace confirmed Romeo “Jun” Lumagui Jr. is out as commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), even as Marcos named Finance Undersecretary Charlito Mendoza as new BIR chief.
Mendoza, a lawyer, isn’t a new face at the BIR where he once headed the department’s revenue operations group.
Mendoza’s appointment papers were signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday.
Lumagui was first appointed deputy commissioner immediately after Marcos took the helm of the government in 2022. Four months later, the President appointed him as BIR chief replacing Lilia Catris Guillermo.
NOT GOOD ENOUGH
For one, Lumagui is among the presidential appointees deemed as “formidable” when Marcos started its reorganization in view of two reasons.
It was during Lumagui’s tenure as chief tax collector that the BIR consistently exceeded revenue targets after 20 years of collection slump.
Prior to the Palace announcement, Lumagui had ordered a “major personnel overhaul” across the agency’s regional offices.
Political observers also banked on Lumagui’s personal ties to the First Couple. Lumagui is the husband of lawyer Carmela Esquivas-Lumagui, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos’ most trusted aide.
President Marcos and the First Lady are wedding godparents to Lumagui and Esquivas, who were part of the Marcos, Ochoa, Serapio, Tan Law Offices before it was dissolved. Esquivas also worked for M & Associates, the former law firm of the First Lady.
SACRED COW’S WISH
Over a week ago, Lumagui filed tax evasion complaints against former Department of Public Works and Highways engineers Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, and Jaypee Mendoza over a P1.6-billion tax liability.
The three engineers are at the center of a flood control corruption scandal rocking the Philippine government.
It was not certain though whose toes were stepped on — or about to be stepped on — as Lumagui hinted on filing more complaints against personalities who may have amassed a fortune from the anomalous government flood control projects.
Among the names being dragged into the scandal is former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who happens to be the President’s first cousin.