BFP official almost extinguished
Quezon City Fire Marshal F/Sr. Supt. Rodrigo N. Reyes has been relieved of his post following a Nosy Tarsee exposé linking him to an alleged kickback of nearly P5 million from a fire extinguisher supplier he reportedly endorsed to a condominium developer.
In a Special Order dated 7 January, Bureau of Fire Protection Director Jesus Fernandez relieved Reyes pending an administrative investigation, reassigning him to the BFP National Headquarters personnel holding and accounting unit.
The order stemmed from allegations that Reyes received P4.8 million in commission from a supplier who obtained a P30-million purchase order for fire extinguishers.
Fernandez designated F/Supt. Froilan Guzman, deputy fire marshal, officer-in-charge of the Quezon City Fire District.
However, on Monday, 12 January, Guzman was reportedly surprised to see Reyes back at the district office.
Reyes allegedly told the personnel that he had been granted a two-month extension by Malacañang, citing his closeness to a Department of the Interior and Local Government undersecretary identified only as “Usec G.”
Sources in the Quezon City Fire Department told Nosy Tarsee the claim was false, saying that Reyes remained under investigation and was supposedly hoping to collect the remaining balance of his supposed commission from the transaction.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla confirmed that two senior BFP officials were under investigation over the anomalous procurement of fire extinguishers for a condominium project.
Remulla said he had already dismissed two BFP officials from their posts in connection with the transaction, although he declined to identify them.
The officials were reportedly assigned to the BFP’s National Capital Region office and the Quezon City fire district, which jibed with the sanctions imposed on Reyes.
Remulla had previously described the BFP as the most corrupt attached agency of the DILG, citing cases of officials allegedly selling fire extinguishers to commercial establishments at grossly inflated prices.
