DILG PROBES FIRE, POLICE OFFICIALS OVER CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS

DEPARTMENT of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla on Tuesday said the DILG has created a special task force to investigate allegations of corruption in the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), and the Quezon City Fire Department.

“Ngayon ang pormal na iniimbestigahan namin is the former Bids and Awards Committee last year, and several personnel from the QC fire department and from the NCPRO and the general leadership of the BFP,” Remulla said in a Palace press briefing.

Earlier, Remulla announced key reforms within the BFP, including a substantial reduction in fire truck procurement costs, and a strict crackdown on corruption across recruitment and procurement processes.

The DILG Secretary emphasized in an earlier statement that such reforms align with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s strong push for transparency and accountability in government procurement.

Remulla said the DILG has procured 14,000 body cameras that will be issued to fire inspectors nationwide to promote transparency and accountability during inspections and to prevent a repeat of the alleged kickback scheme previously uncovered in the BFP.

The use of body cameras is also intended to protect both establishment owners and inspectors by ensuring that all inspection procedures are properly documented.

“Bumili na kami ng 14,000 body cameras, several thousand of which will be attached to the fire inspectors… So upon inspection, sasabihin nila kung ano ang nakikita nila, kung wala silang makitang violation, right there and then, kailangan ibigay na nila iyong certificate and iyong digital copy is to follow, so wala ng delay,” the DILG Secretary said.

Remulla clarified that if fire inspectors find deficiencies in the fire safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers, they are only expected to note and cite the specific defects. The fire inspectors are strictly prohibited from making recommendations or suggesting any particular supplier for replacements.

“Kung sisitahin nila iyong fire extinguisher, dapat sitahin nila properly. Sabihin nila kung ano ang defect. Pero hindi sila puwedeng mag-recommend kung ano ang bibilhin na fire extinguisher,” Remulla stressed.

Remulla said all fire safety inspectors, around 10,000 of them, are now required to use the body cameras. ǀ

Earlier, two BFP officials were relieved for allegedly receiving kickbacks from overpriced fire extinguishers.

The BFP officials allegedly collected P30 million from selling fire extinguishers to just one building.