THE Bureau of Fire Protection Retirees Association of the Philippines (BFPRAP) has expressed support for Jesus Fernandez, chief of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), despite corruption allegations raised by Jonvic Remulla, secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
In a letter, the BFPRAP formally conveyed its backing for Fernandez and commended the bureau’s continuing campaign to cleanse its ranks, emphasizing the importance of fair recognition of efforts within the organization to uphold integrity and accountability.
BFPRAPI president retired Colonel Agapito Nacario said that while the organization stands firm in the mission of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to eradicate corruption in government, the retirees also support the current leadership of the Bureau under BFP chief Fernandez.
In this regard, Fernandez is currently facing the biggest challenge of his life following Remulla’s move to file administrative and criminal cases against him (BFP chief) at the Office of the Ombudsman.
Meanwhile, Nacario said that the recent public rebukes have caused significant demoralization within the ranks of the bureau.
“The recent public rebukes has caused significant demoralization within the ranks. Worse, the children of firefighters are reportedly facing bullying in schools due to this ‘shame campaign/ This must stop. The majority of our firefighters remain committed to integrity, transparency, and accountability,” Nacario explained.
Among the reasons cited by the head of the retirees’ group is the active implementation of the bureau’s “Oplan Santindig” which has been intensified by the current leadership, by encouraging the public to report recruitment scams and extortion activities.
In this regard, the BFPRAPI group also said that they support the bureau’s ongoing internal reforms following allegations of corruption involving one of the oldest government institutions in the country.
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