(Photo courtesy of BIR Facebook) MANILA - Taxpayers will enjoy more protection under a bill that explains their rights and obligations and at the same time entice them to settle their obligations regularly. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has filed Senate Bill 1199 or An Act Ordaining a Bill of Rights and Obligations of the Taxpayer to protect taxpayers against any threat to their rights. In a news release on Saturday, Gatchalian said in many instances, the collecting agency uses its immense power and resources to go after taxpayers to their undue prejudice. He said investigations made by the Revenue Integrity Protection Service of the Department of Finance (DOF) in April found employees of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to have engaged in "irregular" activities. Of the 468 investigated from July 2016 to February 2022, a total of 16 employees were dismissed, 10 were found guilty in criminal cases, 35 were suspended, and seven were ordered to p