The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) chief Jesus Fernandez and filed graft and bribery charges against him before the Sandiganbayan over the procurement of 132 ambulances worth ₱485 million.
The Ombudsman said it found “prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction” to charge Fernandez with two counts of indirect bribery and two counts of violating Section 3(b) of Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The investigation found that Fernandez, who was then chairperson of the BFP Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), allegedly received a total of ₱14.752 million from ambulance supplier Sangga.
According to the Ombudsman ruling, Sangga delivered ₱10.752 million to Fernandez on Nov. 21, 2024, and another ₱4 million on Sept. 25, 2025.
The Ombudsman also found Fernandez administratively liable for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service in a separate case arising from the same transaction.
“This carries the penalty of dismissal from the service, including cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and perpetual disqualification from reemployment in government service,” the Ombudsman said.
The Ombudsman said Fernandez’s receipt of the money was incompatible with his responsibilities as BFP chief and BAC chairperson and undermined the integrity expected of his position.
“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,” the ruling said.
The Ombudsman noted that Fernandez was BAC chairperson when he received the first payment in November 2024 and was the head of the procuring entity when he received the second payment in September 2025.
The ruling further said that receiving any gift, compensation, promise, or consideration from an individual in relation to his position creates an appearance of impropriety, raising doubts about his credibility and tarnishing the credibility of the agency, particularly in its procurement processes.
The criminal cases were filed against Fernandez and a private individual in connection with the ₱485-million ambulance procurement.
