Category: Philippines Daily Inquirer

Malacañang and the civil society group August Twenty-One Movement (Atom) on Thursday called out Sen. Robinhood Padilla for equating pseudonyms used by Filipino patriots with the odd-sounding ‘aliases’ found on the receipts for the confidential funds used by the Office of the Vice President (OVP).

Palace press officer Claire Castro said the two situations were fundamentally different, pointing out that Filipino revolutionaries used fake names while fighting for their countrymen, while the people identified by aliases in the OVP receipts were allegedly paid for providing information.

‘Heroes of the past likely fought for the country without expecting payment. However, informants of today appear unwilling to act without compensation,’ Castro said.

‘The heroes of that time, even if they used pseudonyms, were known to be real people. In the receipts presented now, we do not know whether these are real people or whether they are fictitious or ‘ghost’ beneficiaries,’ she added.

Padilla, during the 19th day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, reminded private prosecutor Mae Divinagracia that even heroes and revolutionaries used aliases in their time.

He also quizzed Divinagracia about her knowledge of the alias ‘Marcial Bonifacio.’

‘Mocking’ Ninoy memory

The senator said the prosecution was seemingly making the unusual names in the acknowledgement receipts a laughing matter.

These names include Mary Grace Piattos, Antonio Pagong, Timon Andrew Pusa, Don Piang, Shane Ngitngit, Xuniso P. Bela, and May Pamana.

‘This is what the prosecution was presenting: that there are funny names here […] but the aliases of the people in history are funnier. And one more thing, do you know Marcial Bonifacio?’ Padilla asked.

He was referring to the name adopted by Sen. Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino Jr. in 1983 to evade the dictatorship’s efforts to stop his return to the country and continue his struggle for democracy.

Castro said she was not in a position to judge the remarks of Padilla, who, she added had the right to his own views.

‘But we also need to show the truth so that our young people will not be misled about the actual role our heroes played. They may have used pseudonyms, but not to hide payment,’ she said.

Atom, meanwhile, said Padilla was ‘mocking the memory and the good name of the person who is one of the major reasons he and all of us can speak and move freely without fear of arrest or oppression.’

Atom was a political organization founded in August 1983 shortly after Aquino’s assassination during the Marcos dictatorship.

‘We remind Senator Padilla that our heroes of yesterday, including Rizal, Marcelo del Pilar, Emilio Jacinto, Graciano Lopez-Jaena, among others, used aliases to fight for our freedom, for justice, and to win our rights for the people, not to misuse public funds and abuse power,’ said Atom in a statement.

‘Freedom is not free, Mr. Senator; before all of us were able to enjoy freedom, other individuals had to sacrifice their lives, and that is why we consider them heroes of our land,’ it added.

In a separate statement, academic research organization Project Gunita also rebuked the senator, saying Aquino’s alias ‘symbolized bravery and martyrdom, and a yearning to come home.’

Do ‘proper research’

‘Ninoy did not need millions in confidential funds to ascertain that he was about to commit a huge gamble once he stepped off that aircraft,’ it said.

It noted that political allies, such as Salvador Laurel and Eva Estrada-Kalaw, warned Aquino about rumors that he would be killed if he came home, prompting him to conceal his return by traveling under the pseudonym ‘Marcial Bonifacio’ on a fake passport.

The name was derived from martial law and Fort Bonifacio, where Aquino was imprisoned for nearly eight years.

‘Did it work? History will tell you the answer. Nevertheless, despite the clear risks against his own life, Ninoy Aquino decided to come home, even in the face of a certain public execution,’ Project Gunita said.

‘Google is free. We suggest to the good senator, or his office, to make use of the internet and do their proper research,’ it added.

Yuchengco-led PetroEnergy Resources Corp. (PERC) is teaming up with a new investor: Japanese financial services provider SMFL Mirai Partners Company Ltd. will gain a 35 percent stake in its wind assets for P1.7 billion.

In a disclosure on Thursday, PERC said its board of directors had approved the sale of 6.84 million common shares out of the outstanding capital stock of PetroWind Energy Inc. (PWEI).

To formalize the deal, both groups would still need to ink a term sheet, share purchase agreement, and shareholders’ agreement.

‘The closing of the proposed transaction will be subject to the execution of the definitive agreements, the satisfaction of conditions precedents, and the receipt of the necessary corporate and regulatory approvals, including clearance from the Philippine Competition Commission, if required,’ the firm said.

After closing the transaction, PERC will retain a 25 percent stake, while its subsidiary PetroGreen Energy Corp. will hold 40 percent.

Also just this month, the group got a hold of Thailand’s BCPG Public Co. Ltd in PWEI for P1.9 billion, representing a 40 percent stake.

In an earlier filing, PERC explained that it aims to simplify its ownership structure and increase its direct economic participation in its renewable energy portfolio.

Additionally, PWEI is the owner and developer of a 49.2-megawatt (MW) wind farm in Nabas and Malay, Aklan. The first phase of the project, involving 36 MW of capacity, has been injecting power into the grid since June 2015. In May, the Nabas-2 expansion also achieved commercial operation.

Previously, it obtained a permit to connect the added capacity to the grid network. PWEI still needs to get a certificate of compliance from the Energy Regulatory Commission.

Meanwhile, PERC has interests in upstream oil exploration and development, renewable energy assets, and power generation.

In the January to June period, the company booked a 7.8-percent improvement in its consolidated net income, reaching P498 million from 464 million a year ago, boosted by its clean power assets and oil operations.

It’s official: the Chiongbian family has retaken full control of FAST Logistics Group, one of the country’s largest logistics providers, after completing the buyout of a 40-percent stake held by a unit of global private equity firm CVC Capital Partners.

The return to full family ownership is expected to set the stage for FAST Logistics’ next phase of growth, with the company looking to strengthen its nationwide network and particularly expand its role in food and agricultural supply chains.

‘We return to full family ownership as a stronger organization than when the partnership began,’ FAST Group president William Chiongbian II said. ‘Full ownership gives us the flexibility to take a long-term view, consolidate the gains we have made, and invest with greater focus and conviction in the future of FAST and Philippine logistics.’

While the parties did not disclose the transaction value, CVC, through Asia Seal Pte. Ltd., invested P6 billion in 2020 to acquire the 40-percent stake in FAST.

But in June, the Chiongbian family announced that it was retaking full ownership of the business.

This acquisition was backed by a loan from BDO Unibank Inc., while the family tapped AlphaPrimus Advisors as financial adviser for both the transaction and acquisition financing.

Significant opportunities

Moving ahead, the Chiongbian family said it would continue investing to strengthen FAST’s logistics infrastructure, technology and automation, while building a more sustainable and efficient nationwide network.

‘After more than five decades in the industry, we continue to see significant opportunities to strengthen the supply chains that connect businesses, communities and markets across the Philippine archipelago,’ Chiongbian said.

FAST was founded from the shipping business established by William L. Chiongbian in 1945.

Since then, it has evolved into a nationwide logistics network spanning freight forwarding, transportation, cargo handling, warehousing and supply chain solutions.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) delivered another quarter-point interest rate on Thursday, extending its battle against inflation in hopes that the anemic economy could regain momentum later this year.

The Monetary Board, the top policymaking body of the central bank, raised the key rate guiding bank lending cost to 5 percent, the highest in over a year or since June 2025.

The decision brought the cumulative rate increases since the start of the BSP’s anti-inflation campaign in April to 75 basis points.

The outcome was correctly predicted by 11 out of 15 economists surveyed by the Inquirer last week.

After the BSP announced its decision, the Philippine peso weakened by 23.8 centavos to close at 61.888 against the US dollar yesterday.

This marked a new all-time low finish for the local currency, beating the prior record of 61.847 set on July 24.

The BSP’s decision was made against the backdrop of easing inflation pressures and weak economic growth.

Consumer price gains eased to 6.2 percent in July from a year earlier, extending a three-month deceleration as transport costs declined. Core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, also eased to 4.2 percent from 4.4 percent in June.

Even so, both the headline and core numbers were still above the BSP’s 3-percent target.

Meanwhile, the economy expanded just 2.6 percent in the first quarter, reflecting the effects of the conflict in the Middle East and adding to concerns that further interest rate increases could weigh on already weak demand.

Explaining its move, the BSP said that while inflation moderated, oil prices remain volatile. The central bank also flagged the possible impact of severe El Niño and potential wage increases.

Policymakers now expect inflation to average 6.1 percent this year-down from the prior estimate of 6.4 percent-though the 2027 outlook was raised to 5.4 percent from 4.5 percent before.

On the growth side, the BSP said the economy’s fundamentals ‘appear to be intact over the medium term’, adding that a recovery in government spending could help stimulate activity in the second half of the year.

Gov. Eli Remolona Jr. told a news conference that the Board considered all possibilities during its meeting, including keeping rates unchanged, though policymakers ultimately decided to deliver a ‘pre-emptive’ rate hike to guard against emerging inflation risks.

‘We’re hoping that we won’t need another rate hike,’ Remolona said, adding that the BSP is nevertheless prepared to ‘tighten as much as we need to bring the inflation rate down to its target.’

Peso hits new low

Inflation concerns caused the peso to hit an intraday low of 61.89 before slightly paring its losses. Trading volume eased to $1.8 billion from $1.9 billion in the prior session.

‘The peso reached new record lows after the BSP upwardly revised its inflation outlook for 2027 despite the announcement of a policy rate hike,’ a trader said.

‘The peso could remain on the edge ahead of potentially hawkish remarks from Fed (US Federal Reserve) Chair Warsh in the Jackson Hole Symposium. Intervention can be expected near the 62 level,’ the trader added.

While a lot will depend on events in the Middle East, Jason Tuvey, deputy chief emerging markets economist at Capital Economics, said Thursday’s action may be the end of the tightening cycle as the BSP may shift its attention to supporting the struggling economy.

‘All told, our central view is that the BSP will keep interest rates on hold for the remainder of this year before turning to rate cuts early next year,’ Tuvey said.

‘That said, a lot will hinge on developments in the Middle East. If traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains constrained and oil prices drift higher, BSP officials may be inclined to deliver further rate hikes in order to contain inflation and prop up the peso,’ he added.

Senate President Sherwin ‘Win’ Gatchalian on Thursday said senators who have been absent because of medical leave, detention or other circumstances have voluntarily agreed not to receive their salaries while away from the Senate.

Gatchalian disclosed that Sen. Loren Legarda has voluntarily waived her salary since taking medical leave on Aug. 3, adding that senators who are detained and those considered ‘senators-at-large’ have likewise chosen not to collect their pay during their absence.

‘She filed for medical leave and is not taking her salary. In fact, the senators who are detained and senators-at-large are also not taking their salaries voluntarily,’ Gatchalian told reporters in mixed Filipino and English.

Legarda’s medical condition

He said the salaries that are not drawn would be declared as Senate savings and could later be used for other purposes.

Legarda has filed five medical leaves covering Aug. 3 to Aug. 5, Aug. 11 to Aug. 12, Aug. 17 to Aug. 19, and Aug. 24 and Aug. 26, as well as Sept. 1 to Sept. 2.

Gatchalian said he was aware of Legarda’s medical condition but declined to disclose details, saying the matter was personal.

‘I wish her well. These kinds of illnesses need to be taken seriously,’ he said.

Gatchalian’s disclosure came as questions continued to surround Legarda’s extended absence from the chamber.

The Office of the Ombudsman had earlier described the timing of her leaves as ‘suspicious,’ noting that they came after plunder and graft complaints were filed against her.

Legarda and her son, Rep. Leandro Leviste, were accused of conspiring to secure exclusive government rights over the country’s solar energy resources through legislative and regulatory actions. The Ombudsman said several solar projects associated with the allegations were never delivered.

Detained, at-large

Legarda has not publicly discussed the nature of her illness. But Sen. Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson said in a radio interview that her medical leave could be related to lung problems.

Apart from Legarda, Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Rodante Marcoleta are absent from the Senate while facing plunder cases, while Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa remains at large in connection with a crimes against humanity case before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Gatchalian said all of them had voluntarily chosen not to receive their salaries during their absence, underscoring that the decision was not limited to senators who had been formally suspended or placed on leave.

Estrada was arrested and detained on June 1 after the Sandiganbayan issued a warrant in connection with nonbailable plunder and graft charges arising from allegations that he received kickbacks from flood control projects.

He was later placed under a 90-day preventive suspension, as laws governing plunder and graft provide for the suspension of public officials facing criminal prosecution. Estrada has pleaded not guilty.

Nonbailable charge

Before his arrest, Estrada said he would not seek Senate custody or use the institution as a shield from the charges. He also instructed the Senate secretary to put his salary on hold while he clears his name.

Marcoleta, meanwhile, was arrested after surrendering on July 6 in connection with a nonbailable plunder charge stemming from allegations involving P75 million in campaign donations that he allegedly failed to declare. Marcoleta has pleaded not guilty and remains involved in pretrial and bail proceedings.

Dela Rosa returned to hiding in the early hours of May 14, hours after a shooting incident involving Senate security personnel and National Bureau of Investigation agents inside the Senate complex.

He had earlier been placed under Senate protection after resurfacing from an earlier period of hiding amid reports of an ICC arrest warrant. He first disappeared from public view on Nov. 11, 2025.

Gatchalian did not give the total amount of salaries that the absent senators had forgone, nor did he specify when the accumulated amounts would formally be declared as savings.

But he stressed that the arrangement was voluntary, with the senators themselves choosing not to draw compensation while they were unable to perform their regular duties in the chamber.

The issue has drawn renewed attention as the Senate continues to operate with several members absent for markedly different reasons, from medical treatment to detention and evasion of an international arrest warrant.

East West Banking Corp. is looking to raise about P9 billion through a stock rights offering (SRO) as the Gotianun-led bank seeks fresh capital to fund the next phase of its expansion.

In a regulatory filing on Thursday, EastWest said its board approved the proposed SRO on Aug. 27. The transaction will involve the issuance of common shares to eligible shareholders.

Major shareholders Filinvest Development Corp. (FDC) and FDC Ventures Inc. will back the fundraising exercise.

EastWest said proceeds would support its strategic growth objectives and future expansion plans.

These include scaling up its wealth and priority banking propositions, investing in transformative digital technologies and funding loan growth across key retail and business segments.

‘This proposed rights offering positions EastWest for its next phase of growth while giving our existing shareholders the opportunity to participate in the bank’s long-term value creation,’ EastWest CEO Jerry Ngo said.

Ngo also said the additional capital would allow the bank to expand its core businesses, pursue strategic opportunities and strengthen its balance sheet.

The proposed SRO remains subject to regulatory approvals, including those of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Philippine Stock Exchange.

EastWest has yet to finalize the offer size, entitlement ratio, offer price, record date and timetable. These will be announced after the bank secures the necessary approvals.

The bank had total assets of P623.9 billion as of end-June. Its consumer loan portfolio stood at P337.6 billion, making it one of the largest in the Philippine banking industry.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has mourned the passing of his former aide-de-camp, Maj. Ma. Joshua Santiago.

Santiago died on Monday, as per his wife’s Facebook post, but the cause of death was not detailed. He was 39.

In a statement on Friday, Marcos described Santiago as a ‘brave soldier who fought for our country with dedication and honor.’

‘In the time he stood by my side as my Aide-de-Camp, I came to know a soldier of courage, an officer I could depend on and, above all, a good man,’ the President said.

‘Fair winds and following seas, Jam. It was my privilege to have you by my side,’ he added.

Marcos, who also visited Santiago’s wake on Thursday, likewise expressed his sympathy to the family and colleagues of the deceased soldier.

The soldier’s wife said he will be laid to rest at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, and the last day of wake will be on Saturday, Aug. 26, his wife said

The provincial government of Bohol has declared a dengue outbreak across the entire province following a continued rise in cases and deaths linked to the disease.

Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado issued the declaration on Thursday night, Aug. 27, after health authorities recorded 1,883 dengue cases and 21 fatalities from January 4 to August 22, 2026.

The province has exceeded the dengue epidemic threshold for three consecutive weeks, with a case fatality rate of 1.12 percent, according to the executive order

Many of the dengue cases were recorded in Talibon, Tagbilaran City, Ubay, Getafe, and Tubigon, which were among the areas reporting a significant number of cases.

The Provincial Local Health Board, with support from the Department of Health’s Central Visayas Center for Health Development and the Provincial Health Office, recommended the declaration based on the latest epidemiological data and the capacity of local health facilities to manage the increasing number of patients.

‘There is an urgent need to escalate and intensify Dengue Outbreak management measures to control the transmission of dengue in the community and prevent the occurrence of deaths due to the disease,’ Aumentado said in the executive order.

The declaration ordered the immediate intensification of dengue prevention and control measures throughout the province.

These include strict implementation of the enhanced 4S Strategy, reactivation of local dengue task forces, and implementation of Aksyon Barangay Kontra Dengue.

Local governments were also directed to mobilize households, schools and communities in conducting ‘Search and Destroy’ activities against mosquito breeding sites, particularly through the 4 o’clock habit.

Health authorities were further instructed to implement intensified vector-control measures for confirmed dengue cases, while city and municipal health offices and hospitals are required to establish Dengue Fast Lanes to speed up consultation and treatment.

Local governments must also ensure proper patient referrals, allocate funds for essential dengue-control supplies and services, and coordinate with government agencies and other stakeholders.

The Bohol Provincial Anti-Dengue Task Force will likewise be reconstituted and strengthened as part of the province-wide response.

Aumentado said the intensified measures aim to curb dengue transmission and prevent further deaths from the disease.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has received his first-ever higher education degree, an honorary award from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM).

Mr. Marcos was conferred a Doctor of Laws degree, honoris causa (Latin for ‘for the sake of honor’) during the graduation rites of the city government-run university on Thursday.

According to the Legal Education Board (LEB), an honorary Doctor of Laws degree is ‘an extraordinary academic degree awarded by a legal education institution to eminent individuals of integrity who have distinguished themselves in the field of law, justice, legal academe, legal research, public governance, leadership, or public service in the areas of statesmanship, administration, legislative activity, judicial service, or through outstanding and impactful work and/or exemplary service to society.’

The six members of the LEB en banc unanimously approved and adopted Resolution No. 286-01 giving the PLM authority to grant the degree to the 68-year-old president.

It took 12 days for the LEB to approve the application, which the PLM submitted on Aug. 13.

The resolution was signed by LEB chair Jason Barlis; and regular members, LEB commissioners Lorenzo Reyes, Voltaire San Pedro, retired Justice Manuel Barrios, Salex Alibogha and Justine Kyle Mapalo; and ex officio member Shirley Agrupis, chair of the Commission on Higher Education.

According to Alibogha, the PLM ‘sufficiently satisfies’ the specific requirements prescribed under LEB Memorandum Order (MO) No. 033, series of 2025, to confer the degree on Mr. Marcos.

Under Section 4(d) of the memo, a prospective honoree ‘must have at least a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from a reputable institution.’

‘It is not necessary for the honoree to be a lawyer or a law graduate,’ it stated.

Mr. Marcos has maintained that he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. But the university stated that, based on its records, he did not complete his course but was awarded a Special Diploma in Social Studies in 1978.

Mr. Marcos admitted that he did not complete his Master of Business Administration course at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in the United States after enrolling in 1979 because he was elected vice governor of Ilocos Norte in 1980.

Under the MO, the LEB shall have the prerogative to deny, withdraw, withhold, or declare null and void the conferment of the degree based on several grounds, including ‘fabrication/misrepresentation of any document in support of the application.’

The LEB shall also take into consideration the prospective honorees’ conduct on issues of relevance which is inconsistent with or in contravention of the rule of law, ethics, public policy, and/or public morals, in denying, withdrawing, or declaring null and void the conferment of the degree.

‘Insult’ to lawyers

Kabataan Rep. Renee Co, a lawyer, said conferring the honorary degree on Mr. Marcos was not a ‘good example for our examinees rigorously studying law just days before the 2027 Bar examinations.’

‘This is an insult to the hundreds of lawyers […] who studied day-in and day-out to refine their knowledge of the law and ensure that said knowledge serves the most vulnerable-the complete opposite of Marcos Jr.,’ Co was quoted as saying by the Kabataan partylist page on Facebook.

Lawyer Frederick Mikhail ‘Spocky’ Farolan, former presidential appointee to the University of the Philippines Board of Regents, cited the LEB memorandum, noting that a bachelor’s degree was ‘a requirement before someone can be a recipient of an honorary PhD or honorary Doctor of Laws.’

‘Does [Bongbong] Marcos have a bachelor’s degree? Is this ‘bend the law’ or ‘bend the rules?’ he said also in a Facebook post.

First lady ties

PLM president Domingo Reyes Jr. made the recommendation to confer the degree on Mr. Marcos. It was later approved by the board of regents chaired by Edward Serapio.

Serapio is among the founding partners of MOST Law Office along with Araneta-Marcos, who worked there from 2006 until 2019. She later set up the M and Associates law firm, which she dissolved in June 2022 before Mr. Marcos’ oath-taking as newly elected president.

The first lady also taught at the PLM College of Law from 2010 to 2014.

Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso and Reyes bestowed the PLM doctoral regalia-the robe, hood, beret, and medallion-on Mr. Marcos

‘I receive this honor with gratitude, mindful of the responsibility that comes with it,’ the president said.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said over 200 personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), an agency under his department, were being investigated for alleged schemes in which applicants were asked to pay for slots in the agency.

‘Kung sa pinapanganak ka pa lang sa institusyon ay korapsyon, korapsyon ka na habang buhay. So, we’ll clean it up. This will be a massive purge,’ Remulla maintained in a press briefing in Camp Crame on Friday.

(If from your infancy in the institution, there’s corruption, then you’re corrupt throughout your tour of duty. So, we’ll clean it up. This will be a massive purge.)

‘Ang iniimbestigahan namin ngayon ay lagpas 200 tao tungkol sa slots-for-sale,’ he noted.

(We’re now investigating more than 200 personnel for slots-for-sale.)

‘As of now, all regional directors are being investigated,’ Remulla further detailed.

(As of now, all regional directors are being investigated.)

He added that the BFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have yet to finalize how many ‘slot-selling’ cases were being investigated.

The secretary also noted that, although the BFP personnel were under investigation, only those who will be proven to have links to the scheme will be relieved from their posts.

‘Binabalaan ko na lahat ng opisyal ng BFP. Lumabas na kayo at umaamin na kayo o hahabulin namin kayo,’ Remulla stressed.

(I am warning all the officials of the BFP. Come clean now or face the consequences.)

Pampanga, Ilocos cases

This came following the recent operation by police in Pampanga arresting a Senior Fire Officer (SFO) 1 assigned to the BFP National Capital Region (NCR), who allegedly contacted an applicant for a position in the bureau’s Central Luzon for an initial P500,000.

At the briefing, BFP officer in charge Fire Chief Superintendent Wilberto Rico Neil Kwan Tiu said the implicated personnel had been relieved from her post and was now facing dismissal proceedings.

The PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) previously said the suspect supposedly contacted the victim after the latter’s name was published on the bureau’s social media for the recruitment process.

The police also earlier detailed that the apprehended SFO had allegedly touted to have successfully orchestrated the hiring of four other applicants in the past year.

Remulla said the four other BFP applicants who accepted the implicated personnel’s offer were subpoenaed by the CIDG.

‘They can either testify kung ano yung nangyari or we will charge them because nagbayad sila. If they testify, we will give them clemency because they are as much as a victim. But, they have to come out with all the deeds,’ the DILG chief explained.

(They can either testify kung ano yung nangyari or we will charge them because they paid for it. If they testify, we will give them clemency because they are just as much of a victim. But, they have to come out with all the deeds.)

The CIDG also previously said the arrested SFO named a ‘senior fire commissioned officer’ as a cohort in the purported scheme.

Remulla identified the alleged cohort as a deputy director for administration in BFP Calabarzon.

He added that the other implicated bureau official had since been relieved from his post but had yet to be placed under restrictive custody.

Kwan Tiu also touted that the fire bureau and the police arrested another SFO 1 in the Ilocos Region, who had recently been dismissed by the agency, but he did not provide further details.

‘P15-billion industry’

Remulla noted that the offers in their recorded ‘slot-selling’ schemes ranged between P100,000 and P800,000 per applicant.

He reiterated that, prior to his tenure as DILG chief, erring personnel of the BFP had supposedly made at least P15 billion a year through questionable practices like ‘slot-selling,’ purported kickbacks on the procurement of equipment and additional fees for inspections.

The DILG and the BFP chiefs touted recent reforms to the BFP, particularly the deployment of its electronic hiring system for the 2026 recruitment process.

‘Basta tao ang involved sa selection, doon nangyayari ang corruption. Ngayon, systems-generated na,’ Remulla explained.

(As long as a person is involved in the selection, that’s where corruption happens. Now, the lists are generated by a system.)

Citing the Pampanga case, Kwan Tiu said he will be exploring options with the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to protect the identities of BFP applicants.

The bureau, similar to the PNP, publishes its lists of applicants in a bid for transparency.

Earlier this year, Remulla launched an anti-corruption drive within the BFP, starting with criminal and administrative cases against over 40 personnel for alleged anomalies; and the relief of over 900 fire safety inspectors in NCR for alleged questionable practices.

The campaign included the suspension of then-BFP chief Fire Director Jesus Fernandez, whom Remulla accused of facilitating kickback schemes on the procurement of fire trucks and ambulances.

‘Within six months, lilinisin natin lahat yan. Within BFP, matatanggal na rin lahat ng sindikato,’ Remulla maintained.

(Within six months, we will clean that all up. We will remove all the syndicates inside the BFP.)

‘Ang goal ko is to strengthen the institution of the DILG. It used to be very weak. It used to be very porous,’ he explained.