BFP officer dismissed, charged in court for 'extort attempt'
An officer of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), who was arrested for attempting to extort from a female job applicant, has been dismissed from the service and charged before the court, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
In a statement, the NBI said that BFP Insp. Roy Sangueza Mat. Castro has been charged before the Cebu City Regional Trial Court (RTC) with direct bribery under Article 310 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) and violation of Section 3 of Republic Act (RA) 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
It said the cases were filed in court after the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) issued a resolution that approved the indictment of Castro.
Also, it said that the OMB found Castro “administratively liable for violating Section 7 (d) of R.A. No. 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards of Public Officials and Employees) and Grave Misconduct.”
Castro was dismissed from service with perpetual disqualification from holding office, forfeiture of retirement benefits (except for accrued leave credits), cancellation of his Civil Service Eligibility, and a prohibition from taking Civil Service Examination,” it added.
The NBI said Castro was arrested during an entrapment operation conducted by operatives of the NBI’s Central Visayas Regional Office (NBI-CEVRO) last June 27 in Cebu City based on a complaint from a female BFP applicant.
It said the complainant alleged that Castro demanded a large sum of money in exchange for the approval of her application.
It also said the complainant alleged that “Castro demanded P400,000, explaining that the complainant was the third candidate for the Fire Safety Officer I position and the amount being asked was a thanksgiving money’ for her inclusion in the final roster of candidates to be sworn in as Fire Safety Officers.”