MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Finance on Friday launched a new website that would allow citizens to report tax evaders and smugglers as well as corrupt officials from the DOF and its attached agencies.

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said the new website, Pera ng Bayan (www.perangbayan.com), is part of government efforts to promote transparency, accountability and private sector participation. He said the DOF also launched Facebook and Twitter accounts for the anti-corruption initiative.

"If you know anyone who owns a Ferrari, who has a lot of businesses and mistresses but doesn't pay the right taxes, this is the place to go," he said in a radio dzMM interview.

Purisima said the DOF is getting a lot of tips from citizens who report businessmen that do not pay proper taxes. Recently, the Bureau of Internal Revenue filed tax evasion cases against a pawnbroker who imported a P26 million Lamborghini but did not pay income and business taxes for 10 years.

The finance chief said citizens who give enough evidence for the filing of a tax evasion case could be eligible for a reward. He said citizens can also submit their complaints about extortion activities of government officials from DOF-attached agencies such as:

• Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)
• Bureau of Customs (BOC)
• Bureau of Treasury (BTr)
• Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF)
• Millenium Challenge Account Philippines Cooperative Development Authority (CDA)
• Privatization and Management Office (PMO)
• Insurance Commission (IC)
• National Tax Research Center  (NTRC)
• Central Board of Assessment Appeal (CBAA)
• Philippine Deposit Insurance Commission (PDIC)
• Philippine Export-Import Credit Agency (PHILEXIM)

Purisima said the website also allows citizens to commend government officials who do a good job. He said a section on the Pera ng Bayan website allows citizens to report why a government official in a DOF-attached agency should be given due recognition for good service.