DILG Sec. Jonvic Remulla – Photo courtesy of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)/Facebook.
Following the discovery of systemic corruption involving top officials in the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), it was learned that the Office of the Ombudsman has yet to issue a suspension order on Fire Chief Jesus Fernandez in order to safeguard ongoing investigations within the Bureau.
Speaking to members of the media, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor ‘Jonvic’ Remulla Jr. disclosed that they have already filed formal charges against implicated Bureau officials but also stressed the need for preventative suspension.
In uncovering the irregularities prevalent in the BFP, Remulla exposed a culture of corruption within the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), involving bribery, bid rigging, and malversation of public funds, prompting the filing of criminal and administrative charges against those involved.
“The corruption appears systematic, with kickbacks and manipulated procurement processes extending from top leadership to lower-level officials. This culture of corruption has to stop. The institutionalization of corruption must come to an end. I believe it has to start from the top,” the former Cavite governor pointed out.
According to the Interior and Local Government chief, the first major corruption case involves the procurement of 132 ambulances for the BFP, which began last September, where investigations revealed that a pre-determined supplier manipulated the bidding process by forming a joint venture with an automotive company to secure the contract.
“Based on affidavits and eyewitness testimony presented, Fire Chief Jesus Fernandez, then overseeing BFP operations, allegedly received a total of ₱10.762 million in illicit payments from the supplier in three separate installments between November 2024 and September 2025,” Remulla cited.
He confirmed that charges have been filed with the Office of the Ombudsman, including violations of Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019, also known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, direct bribery, and malversation of public funds.
“We are confident that the information gathered is sufficient to charge Fire Chief Fernandez and the supplier for both administrative and criminal cases,” he spelled out, even as he emphasized that ordinary citizens were the primary victims of the corruption, particularly middle-class business owners and professionals who rely on public services.
“If corruption starts at the top, it trickles all the way down. From entry-level inspectors to regional directors, everyone pays to get in,” he enthused, noting examples of applicants paying ₱800,000 just to enter the BFP and monthly remittances tied to fire inspections.
He likewise announced that additional cases involving bid rigging in the procurement of fire trucks were under development, adding that “if you think this is big, the corruption in fire truck procurement is even larger. I was personally offered ₱1.5 million per truck as a cut.”
In closing, the secretary revealed that a task force has been formed to scrutinize the financial records of current and incoming BFP officials, with the aim of uncovering all irregularities.
“More forms of corruption within the agency will be publicly disclosed in the coming days. The end game is clear: to dismantle this ecosystem of corruption and restore integrity to the Bureau of Fire Protection,” Remulla concluded.