BFP received 17 complaints vs personnel selling fire extinguishers

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) on Tuesday said it has received a total of 17 complaints against its personnel who were allegedly selling or endorsing fire extinguishers and other equipment from January to July 2025.

“Ang fire extinguisher and firefighting equipment-related complaints po na natanggap natin as of January to July 2025 ay may 17 po. At noong nakaraang taon meron po tayong kabuuang 38 na reklamo,” BFP spokesperson Fire Senior Superintendent Bonifacio Carta said in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview.

(The number of fire extinguisher and firefighting equipment-related complaints we received as of January to July 2025 is 17. And last year we had a total of 38 complaints.)

“Ongoing po ngayon yung investigation sa mga kaso na ito (The investigation into these cases is currently ongoing),” he added.

According to Carta, most of the complaints were recorded in Metro Manila with eight this year so far and 24 last year.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Monday said BFP inspectors will be required to wear body cameras starting 2026 to prevent them from illegally selling or endorsing fire extinguishers.

Remulla cited a recent incident in which a fire inspector from Taguig City allegedly told the management of the Italian Embassy to buy a specific brand of fire extinguisher.

According to Carta, the city fire marshal in the involved fire station has been relieved from post pending the investigation into the incident.

“Yung nangyaring report na inilabas ng ating kagalang-galang na sekretaryo ay natugunan kaagad ng National Capital Region at kaagad-agad po, kahapon po, tinanggal sa pwesto po yung city fire marshal noong nakakasakop na station doon,” he said.

(The report that was released by our honorable secretary was immediately addressed by the National Capital Region and the city fire marshal of the involved station was removed immediately, yesterday, from post.)

“Nag-act lang po tayo talaga para hindi niya po maapektuhan yung investigation. So napalitan na po siya kahapon,” he added.

(We just acted so that the city fire marshal would not influence the investigation. So the official was replaced yesterday.) — BAP, GMA Integrated News