Manila, Sept. 2 -- The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has served Letters of Authority (LOAs) to the country's top 15 flood control contractors during a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, formally launching parallel tax investigations into alleged irregularities in critical government projects.

In a post in his official Facebook page, BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said the LOAs were issued Monday under the bureau's Run After Tax Evaders (RATE) program, empowering examiners to scrutinize the financial records and tax compliance of the country's top flood control contractors.

He assured senators that the BIR would give its full cooperation to both President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the Senate in uncovering irregularities.

"An...