Zamboanga del Sur – A firefighter has been arrested in Zamboanga del Sur for allegedly scamming applicants by offering recruitment slots in the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in exchange for money.
BFP-9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) director Fire Chief Supt. Renato Marcial reported on Tuesday that Fire Officer (FO) 3 Jesson Casanes, assigned at the Isabela City Fire Station in Basilan province, was apprehended by the Criminal Investigation and Detective Group - Zamboanga del Sur. The arrest occurred during an entrapment operation in Barangay Sicade, Kumalarang town. Agents seized PHP400,000 in marked money from a BFP applicant at the time of the arrest.
According to Philippines News Agency, Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. has since urged applicants to follow proper recruitment procedures and avoid dealing with individuals promising non-existent jobs for a fee. Abalos emphasized that such practices are not tolerated and that the arrest should serve as a warning against such malpractices.
This incident is not isolated, as two other BFP personnel were previously arrested for similar schemes. In October, FO1 Ramces Paul Benipayo of the Muntinlupa Fire Station was arrested for accepting PHP200,000 in exchange for a fraudulent job promotion. In May, FO1 Karla Rodriguez of the Guiuan Fire Station in Eastern Samar was apprehended for extorting PHP150,000 from a female applicant.
