Metro Manila, Philippines – The Department of the Interior and Local Government is investigating the “general leadership” of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and other top officials over corruption, particularly alleged equipment bid rigging, Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Tuesday, Jan. 13.
Remulla on Tuesday, Jan. 13, said the alleged corruption may go as high as the BFP chief, adding he has given President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recommendations for the fire director’s replacement.
In a radio interview, Remulla claimed the agency–which is under DILG–pocketed P15 billion yearly from business owners through a bid-rigging scheme. He said cases against 20 BFP officials may be filed as early as next week.
“Ngayon, ang formal na iniimbestigahan namin [Currently, those under formal investigation are] the former bid and awards committee last year, and several personnel from QC (Quezon City) fire department and NCRPO (National Capital Regional Police Office), and the general leadership of the BFP,” Remulla said in a Palace briefing.
In the alleged corruption scheme, the DILG chief said BFP officers conducting fire safety inspections inform business owners that their equipment, such as fire extinguishers, are already expired.
The inspectors will allegedly scare business owners that the BFP will not issue the permit if they do not replace the equipment with products from a preferred supplier, which charge double or triple the price.
Remulla also claimed that he was offered kickbacks for firetrucks by an aide of BFP chief Jesus Fernandez, who coursed the message through the secretary’s friend.
For its part, the BFP said it “acknowledges” Remulla’s pronouncements and “supports” his process of gathering evidence and case filing.
“The corruption allegations mentioned by the Secretary are not just numbers. They represent betrayal of public trust and waste of taxpayer money intended for public safety,” the agency said in a statement.
“The BFP assures that actions, including administrative relief, suspension of inspections and the coming changes, are being done to end systems that allow extortions, and any form of corruption,” it said.
New fire safety inspection process
Speaking to Palace reporters, Remulla said the DILG will now direct fire safety inspectors to wear body cameras and follow a script during inspections.
“Kung sisitahin nila ‘yong fire extinguisher, dapat sitahin nila properly. Sabihin nila kung ano ang defect, pero hindi sila pwede mag-recommend kung ano ang bibilhin na fire extinguisher,” he said.
[Translation: If they will question the fire extinguisher in the building, they should call it out properly. They will say what the defects are, but they cannot recommend what kind of fire extinguisher to buy.]
Part of the new process will be immediately issuing the fire safety inspection certificate to business owners if there are no violations, with the original copy to be sent later, to avoid delays.
