POE PURSUES TAX RECORDS OF COP IN 'TOKHANG-FOR-RANSOM'

Sen. Grace Poe is pursuing a review of financial records of SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, the principal suspect in the kidnapping and killing of a South Korean businessman last year, to determine sources of his wealth and whether or not he is paying the correct taxes.

Poe, who earlier called for lifestyle checks on rogue cops involved in purported "Tokhang-for-ransom" cases and other illegal activities, said on Sunday that although Sta. Isabel reasoned out he secured loans to run their businesses and his wife was managing them, it is necessary that the public be enlightened on wealth and income discrepancies.

"Nakita natin bumaba yung SALN ni Sta. Isabel. Nag-umpisa sa P20 million tapos naging P14 million, may mga depreciation cost doon at mga utang. Pero yun naman, tingnan mo, bakit sa isang punto ay umabot sa ganoong halaga? Hindi naman natin sinasabi na, baka naman yung kanyang misis ay talagang matagumpay sa kanyang trabaho, pero titingnan natin yung kanilang taxes. Sila ba ay nagbayad ng kaukulang buwis para dito? Maraming paraan, sabi nga, kung talagang gusto ay mahahanapan iyan ng paraan," Poe said in a radio interview.

The review should include the ITR of the wife to determine not just the payment of taxes but also the income from where the properties listed in the SALN could be sourced. In the absence of such, it is evident that the properties are ill-gotten.

It was revealed during the Senate investigation that Sta. Isabel declared multimillion assets despite measly P8,000 monthly salary in the police service. In 2014, he had a net worth of P20.3 million, but has gone down to P14.4 million in assets and real and personal properties worth P2.9 million in 2015. The police officer also has five house and lots in Bagombong, Caloocan, a four-storey commercial building in Cubao, Quezon City, a 2014 Toyota Hi-Lux, 2012 Toyota Vios, 2014 Honda tricycle, and 2012 Kawasaki tricycle.

The police officer also admitted that he has numerous businesses, but said these were run by his wife, which included a lotto outlet, a Western Union remittance center and Bayad Center.

Poe reiterated her call to Philippine National Police chief Director-General Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa to punish scalawags in the PNP and clean up its ranks to regain the public's trust with the police.

"Kung talagang seryoso siya [Dela Rosa], parusahan niya yung mga pulis na nagkakasala, alisin agad sa pwesto, tulad iyong mga nabuko doon sa nakunan ni Sen. Ping. Pero hindi lamang sa pagpapaalis, kailangang patawan ng kaso kaagad iyan at dapat makulong. Pangalawa yung IAS [Internal Affairs Service] ay talagang kailangang lakasan nila ang kapangyarihan nito para hindi na matakot magsumbong kung sino ba talaga ang mga pulis na loko-loko. Pangatlo itong si Gen. Bato, huwag siyang poprotekta ng mga nakikita niya na siga-siga doon dahil bilang chief, at nasa kanya ang tainga ng pangulo, kung nakikita niya na pasaway ang mga ganoon at isinusumbong sa kanya, alisin niya na, pwede namang administrative kaagad ang pagpapaalis sa kanila," Poe said.