Sinibak sa serbisyo ng Office of the Ombudsman si Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Fire Director Jesus P. Fernandez at sinampahan ng graft at indirect bribery charges sa Sandiganbayan kaugnay ng procurement ng 132 ambulances na nagkakahalaga ng P485.6 million.
Nakakita ang Ombudsman ng prima facie evidence, with reasonable certainty of conviction, para sampahan si Fernandez ng dalawang counts ng Indirect Bribery at dalawang counts ng paglabag sa Section 3(b) ng Republic Act No. 3019 o Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Nag-ugat ang kaso sa complaint ng Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) kasunod ng fact-finding investigation ng Task Force BFP Accountability sa pagbili ng 132 Type 1 Basic Life Support ambulances.
Iginawad ang kontrata sa Toyota Mabolo, na pumasok sa joint venture kasama ang Autozone Prime Distributors, Inc.
Sinampahan din ng dalawang counts ng Corruption of Public Officials sa ilalim ng Article 212 ng Revised Penal Code ang designated joint venture representative na si Rosaverna P. Sangga, also known as Rosaverna Palairon Sangga.
Ayon sa Ombudsman investigation, tumanggap umano si Fernandez, na noon ay Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) chairperson, ng kabuuang P14.752 million mula kay Sangga.
“Sangga delivered Ten Million Seven Hundred Fifty-Two Thousand Pesos (Php10,752,000.00) on 21 November 2024, and Four Million Pesos (Php4,000,000.00) on 25 September 2025 to FDir. Fernandez,” nakasaad sa ruling.
Sa hiwalay na administrative case mula sa parehong transaction, napatunayang guilty si Fernandez ng Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service at Grave Misconduct.
Kasama sa penalty ang dismissal from service, cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, at perpetual disqualification from reemployment sa government service.
“He is not merely an officer of the BFP. He is the Fire Chief of the agency. He was the BAC Chairman when he received the SOP on 21 November 2024 and the Head of the Procuring Entity when he received the second SOP on 25 September 2025,” ayon sa ruling.
Binigyang-diin din ng Ombudsman na ang pagtanggap ng anumang regalo o consideration na may kaugnayan sa posisyon ay maaaring makasira hindi lamang sa credibility ng opisyal kundi maging sa ahensyang kanyang pinamumunuan, partikular sa procurement process. /Bistado