Centellas reveals that 66 officials were ‘users’ of the tax system

The former director of the defunct Tax Administration Secretariat (SAT) Mario Alfonso Centellas presented himself yesterday as being investigated in the case of “computer manipulation.” He remained at the disposal of the authorities, but will defend himself in freedom. Of course, he delivered a document with details of the 66 “users” of the municipal tax system.

The former official, who was close to Mayor Jhonny Fernández, arrived at the facilities of the Specialized Department to Fight Corruption (Delcc), located in the El Mechero square of Plan 3,000. He was with his lawyer Yimmy Montaño. The case raised has to do with, in addition to computer manipulation with economic damage, breach of duties and cover-up, crimes that Mario Centellas, former director of the SAT Secretariat, could have come to testify, remained silent and taxpayers who were also released were released. They were summoned to help commit the alleged diversion of resources from council taxes.

The hearing took no more than 40 minutes. Upon leaving the Delcc, Centellas’ lawyer assured that his client is willing to assist in any necessary investigations and assured that he will not leave the country. This clarification was issued because, When he was removed from office, on September 28, he was on vacation at a resort in Mexico.

DEBER learned that among the documentation presented there are key responses from Centellas that will contribute to clarifying the case that shook the spheres of the Santa Cruz Mayor’s Office.

Mario Centellas assured that he spent two and a half months in the position of director of the defunct SAT. Likewise, he pointed out that, when he arrived, there were 266 users who managed the Single Registry for Tax Administration (RUAT) system, but that analysis work was done and the users with roles of technical modifications and tax bases. Each user corresponds to an official in charge of the tax administration of the municipal government.

He pointed out that the operators or users come from previous administrations and that he did not incorporate any of them in the two and a half months that he was secretary.

Another point that he detailed is that, to grant user status, the department head or director must request the user’s authorization in writing, defining their roles. That is to say, it was not Centellas who gave the roles. Likewise, the written documentation indicates that, In the period that Centellas worked, he authorized 13 users and none with data modification roles, only for debt queries to the municipality. cEntellas assured in that document: “I am willing to submit to this and whatever investigation is necessary, I do not have to be absent from the country.”

The investigations began on September 20 after councilor Rolando Pacheco (MAS) filed a complaint for computer manipulation of the data of taxpayers who did not pay taxes. As proof, there are documents detailing that a taxpayer who had to pay Bs 3,331,729 ended up paying only Bs 64,629 to the SAT.

The Municipal Directorate of Transparency, Prevention and Fight Against Corruption of the Municipality, through Édgar Molina, joined the formal complaint against Centellas and six other officials involved in the case.

In addition, there are more than 10 people under investigation, including taxpayers who were also summoned to give their statements to the prosecutor’s office as investigated. Nine properties have already been raided and this coming week they will take statements from more than 10 people.

The Council has also requested information on the mechanisms established for the collection of municipal taxes under the mayor’s management.