The acquisition of 14,000 body cameras (bodycams) for use by fire inspectors is above board, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla said on Thursday.

“I assure you there’s no bribery involved there. I am personally on top of it,” he said in response to a query from the DAILY TRIBUNE (DT) during a press briefing on the Bureau of Fire Protection, following allegations that the price per bodycam had been inflated by as much as 600 percent.

An online inquiry will show that the “RugGear” RG360 (a rugged Android Push-to-Talk smartphone) acquired for that purpose, is listed at approximately P5,752 on Ubuy Philippines.

The product was officially announced by RugGear’s manufacturer on 16 November 2020, indicating that it was manufactured that year, five years older when the DILG bought a large bulk of the bodycams.

However, a document “INVENTORY CUSTODIAN SLIP” obtained by the DT showed that the DILG and BFP have acquired the body camera at a price of P31,000 each.

Not one found online.