Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Karen De Guzman

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787897946704HQx1cPVaoAA1sZC.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Investigators are looking into an alleged “slot-for-sale” scheme in the Bureau of Fire Protection. Karen De Guzman, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — Around 200 officials and personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) across the country are now under investigation over an alleged “slot-for-sale” scheme in the agency, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Friday.</p><p>The investigation follows the<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/25/bfp-officer-arrested-over-p500-000-slot-for-sale-recruitment-scam-1724"> arrest of a senior fire officer</a> in San Fernando, Pampanga, who allegedly demanded P500,000 from a BFP applicant in exchange for a guaranteed slot.</p><p>The amount was later reduced to P300,000.</p><p>Remulla said the case was part of a wider effort to dismantle what he described as a deeply rooted system of corruption within the BFP.</p><p>“Isa ito sa mga binubuwag kong istruktura sa loob ng BFP. Ito ay cancer sa loob ng BFP na matagal na nangyayari. Ito ay pinag-uusapan na for the last 25 years na may sistemang ganun,” Remulla stressed.</p><p>He said the BFP has become a potential source of illegal income, estimating that the agency has a “P15-billion-a-year industry” involving recruitment, promotions, procurement of fire trucks, fire extinguishers, and other transactions.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1286760823537291%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>Remulla said the government was taking the issue seriously, noting that the latest case follows a series of investigations into alleged corruption in the fire bureau.</div><p>Earlier this year, the DILG exposed alleged kickbacks and irregularities in BFP fire safety inspections.</p><p>As part of the crackdown, 902 fire safety inspectors in Metro Manila were <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/6/all-ncr-fire-inspectors-relieved-from-post-amid-bfp-corruption-crackdown-2012">removed from their posts</a>.</p><p>The DILG also filed<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/19/dilg-to-file-raps-vs-45-bfp-officials-over-fire-truck-procurement-1040"> complaints against 45 current and former BFP officials</a> over alleged irregularities in the procurement of fire trucks from 2018 to 2024.</p><p>For Remulla, the latest arrest demonstrates that the government’s campaign to cleanse the agency is moving beyond administrative action.</p><p>“Hindi lang natatapos dito. We are going after the entire institution, all the rotten eggs,” he said. </p><p>The arrested fire officer is facing a criminal complaint for robbery and extortion before the City Prosecutor’s Office of San Fernando, Pampanga.</p><p>Remulla also identified an alleged accomplice, a deputy regional director for administration of BFP Region 4A, who has been relieved from responsibility and placed on restricted duty while the investigation continues.</p><div><strong>BFP NEW RECRUITMENT SYSTEM</strong></div><p>BFP Officer-in-Charge FCSupt. Wilberto Rico Neil Kwan Tiu said the latest case highlights the need to further strengthen the agency’s recruitment system.</p><p>The BFP has shifted to an online, electronic hiring system where applicants’ qualifications and examination results are processed through a system-generated process.</p><p>But Kwan Tiu acknowledged that corrupt personnel have also found ways to adapt.</p><p>“‘Yung recruitment natin ay e-hiring online. System-generated ‘yung mga result. However, meron pa rin ganitong sistema dahil nga ‘pag nag-eevolve ang proseso ng isang ahensya, ‘yung mga gumagawa ng anomalya ay nag-eevolve din at gumagawa ng paraan,” Kwan Tiu said. </p><p>The alleged corruption enters at the final stage, where the list of applicants are being posted online for transparency purposes.</p><p>Remulla clarified that those allegedly targeted by the scheme were qualified applicants who had already passed the required written, physical and other examinations.</p><p>“Ang last hurdle nito ay ‘yung basta tao na ang humahawak. So all of them are physically qualified, intellectually qualified, ‘yung decision na lang kung sinong papasok, doon nagkakaagawan. Doon nagkakabayaran,” he said. </p><p>The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) earlier said the arrested officer admitted that she had facilitated the entry of four applicants into the BFP.</p><p>They are expected to appear before the CIDG next week.</p><p>According to Remulla, they may be given consideration if they cooperate fully with the investigation and disclose how the scheme operated, including the officials who contacted them.</p><p>“If they testify, they can be given clemency and continue their service kasi they are as much as a victim. But they have to come out with all the details. Sabihin na nila lahat ng kalokohan, kung paano nangyari, sino kasama, sino nag contact para mabuwag na namin tuluyan,” he said. </p><p>“Otherwise, ‘yung identify na nakita na namin according to evidence gathered on the cellphones, lahat sila matatanggal from service and charged criminally,” he added. </p><p>The BFP said it was also looking at additional changes to prevent applicants’ identities from being exposed during the recruitment process, including the possible use of numbers or QR codes instead of names.</p><p>Remulla said the investigation into the alleged slot-for-sale scheme has now expanded nationwide, reaching officials as high as the regional director level.</p><p>He warned BFP personnel who may be involved to come forward.</p><p>“Lumabas na kayo ngayon at umamin na kayo, o hahabulin namin kayo hanggang matapos ang career niyo. Again, I am warning you. I am serious and I will go after all of you,” Remulla said. </p><p>Remulla said the DILG intends to complete the cleanup of the BFP within the year.  </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/13/remulla-exposes-alleged-kickbacks-bid-rigging-in-bfp-1809">Remulla exposes alleged kickbacks, bid rigging in BFP </a></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hLNJOv6EQbQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>‎</p><div><br style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"/></div>

<p>Around 200 officials and personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) across the country are now under investigation over an alleged “slot-for-sale” scheme in the agency, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Friday.</p>

Around 200 officials and personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) across the country are now under investigation over an alleged “slot-for-sale” scheme in the agency, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Friday.

200 BFP personnel under probe over ‘slot-for-sale’ scheme

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200 BFP personnel under probe over ‘slot-for-sale’ scheme

Karen De Guzman,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 28, 2026 02:22 PM PHT

Read More:

DILG

BFP

slots-for-sale

extortion

fire officer

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