Jessie Javier Carlos began carrying his own gun with him after a corruption case was filed against him, a former colleague of the dismissed tax expert at the Department of Finance (DoF) disclosed yesterday.
Carlos was identified yesterday as the lone gunman who entered the Resorts World Manila hotel-casino in Pasay City early Friday, set fires that asphyxiated 37 guests, then killed himself.
Speaking to Manila Bulletin on condition of anonymity, the gunman’s former colleague at the DoF said that Carlos was a person who “keeps himself to himself.”
“Tahimik syang tao, pero magaling mag basketball.” the DOF employee said. “Pero alam na naming mahilig talaga siya sa sugal at casino.”
On Sunday, the DoF confirmed that Carlos was a former tax specialist at its One Stop Shop Tax Credit and Duty Drawback Center, who was dismissed from the service by the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) in April, 2014.
The DoF statement said Carlos’ case stemmed from a complaint filed by the Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS) in December, 2011, for his failure to disclose all his assets in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).
“Alam naming meron siyang sariling baril, pero napansin naming nagsimula lang siya magdala noong after magkaroon siya ng kaso sa Ombudsman, siguro dahil na rin sa takot para sa sarili,” the DoF employee said.
Based on a press statement posted on RIPS website dated May 7, 2014, Carlos was dismissed on April 25, 2014, for Grave Misconduct and Gross Neglect of Duty for not declaring his house and lot in Manila in his SALNS from 2003 to 2006.
RIPS also noted that Carlos failed to declare owning a Toyota Innova SUV and his business interests in his 2007 and 2010 SALNs, respectively.
Carlos, whose total income from 2001 to 2011 was P2.46 million, was also found by the Ombudsman to have purchased, in cash, two farm lots in Tanauan City, Batangas, for P4 million in 2010.
The Ombudsman also took note of Carlos’ huge credit card liabilities totaling P1 million, which remained dormant for several years and have increased to P5 million by 2010.
The Ombudsman said Carlos obtained another vehicle in 2010, a Hyundai Starex Van valued at P1.6 million.
The RIP statement said: “To our mind, the incurrence of tremendous loans posed these questions:
“(1) How can he pay these loans and obtain some more, when he has no other business interest or financial connections declared in his SALNs from 2000 to 2010?”
“(2) who are his creditors who can lend him millions of pesos without him paying any single centavo for years?”
Carlos’ dismissal included the cancellation of his eligibility for government office, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and perpetual disqualification for reemployment in the government service.
The Ombudsman also ordered the filing of criminal charges against Carlos for violation of Section 7 of RA 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) in relation to Section 8 of RA 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees), Article 171(4) (Falsification) and Article 183 (Perjury) of the Revised Penal Code.
(CHINO S. LEYCO)
