THE Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has started the investigation into the so-called “job slot” scam in the Zamboanga Peninsula region where an applicant is required to shell an amount of P400,000 to be enlisted in the bureau.

BFP chief Director Louie Puracan said that the Internal Affair Services (IAS) is now coordinating with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) for the names of those involved in this recruitment irregularity believed to have ran for more than decade already before it was busted.

“Ongoing na ang investigation. Ang basis ng ating pag-iimbestiga ay ang report ng CIDG,” Puracan’s told this writer in the phone.

According to the BFP chief, IAS has already started sending summons to the officials and personnel involved in the scam for them to answer the allegations.

“Marami ang tatamaan dito,” he added.

The probe was conducted following the arrest of FO3 Jesson Casanes who fell into an entrapment operation on November 17 while receiving the required P400,000 amount from an applicant who was promised a firefighting slot.

Casanes, 35, of Purok Malauman, Brgy. Poblacion, Malangas, Zamboanga Sibugay was assigned to the Isabela Fire Station in Isabela, Basilan province during his apprehension.

Casanes has identified names involved in the scam which include fire generals – one has already retired -, and other several personnel.

A matrix obtained by Journal showed 12 names whom Casanes implicated in the said recruitment activity from 2015 to 2019.

Another set of names numbering to seven are in the second matrix covering the years 2020 up to the present to which a certain driver is pointed to as “bagman.”

The matrix also showed seven persons who served as middlemen in Zamboanga del Sur to include Central Station in Balangasan; eight in Zamboanga Sibugay and another eight in Zamboanga del Norte.

As per info gathered by Journal, a middleman who can successfully transact and facilitate such activity will receive a 10-15 percent share they called “love gifts.”

In 2017, the “love gifts” was only P150,000 but was increased to P400,000 per applicant in 2018 considering that the salary of active government uniformed personnel was doubled by the administration of then-President Rodrigo Duterte.

Local Government Undersecretary for Public Safety Serrafin Barretto said that the BFP should not take this matter lightly.