BFP officer nabbed for lateral promotion for sale scam

MANILA, Philippines — An officer of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) who is allegedly involved in a lateral promotion for sale scam was arrested in Muntinlupa City on Tuesday afternoon.

Fire Officer 1 Ramces Paul Benipayo, who is assigned at the Muntinlupa fire station, was collared by operatives during an entrapment operation in front of a mall in Barangay Alabang at around 4 p.m., the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said.

Policemen waited for Benipayo to accept P200,000 in marked money from his classmate, a BFP firefighter from Western Visayas, whom he promised to assist in getting a promotion within the bureau in exchange for money.

Confiscated from Benipayo were his identification card, a belt bag, a cell phone and the marked money.

BFP intelligence and investigation division director Chief Supt. Gilbert Dolot said they have launched their own probe to find out if Benipayo has cohorts within the bureau after three more complainants surfaced against the suspect.

The head of the CIDG’s anti-organized crime unit, Col. Reynaldo Lizardo, said Benipayo initially told them his cohort is with the BFP.

However, the suspect later said his accomplice is a retired BFP officer.

Benipayo, who entered the BFP in 2018, is hooked on online gambling, based on the BFP’s background investigation.

The suspect underwent inquest proceedings before the Muntinlupa prosecutor’s office, wherein he was slapped with complaints for violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and estafa in relation to RA 10175, also known as the cybercrime prevention law.