Ex-BFP chief pleads not guilty to graft charge in Philippines

Dismissed Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) chief Jesus Fernandez on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to a graft charge before the Sandiganbayan. Fernandez was arraigned before the Second Division of the anti-graft court for alleged violation of Section 3(b) of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Last week, the Ombudsman dismissed Fernandez from his post over cash deliveries worth P14.7 million in 2024 and 2025 from the supplier of ambulances worth P485 million. The Ombudsman investigation showed that Fernandez, who was then the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) chairperson, allegedly received a total of P14.752 million from a private contractor. The cash deliveries included P10,752,000 on November 21, 2024, and P4 million on September 25, 2025. The charges stemmed from a complaint filed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) following a fact-finding investigation by Task Force BFP Accountability into the procurement of 132 units of Type 1 Basic Life Support ambulances. —VAL, GMA News