NEWS BRIEFS: November 29, 2023

BFP fireman nabbed for scamming applicantsInterior Secretary Benhur Abalos warned the public, especially those aspiring to be firefighters of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), to undergo the proper recruitment procedures and refrain from dealing with fraudsters who promise them nonexistent jobs in exchange for a fee. Abalos issued the warning on Tuesday following the arrest of Fire Officer 3 Jesson Casanes, 35, who is assigned to Isabela City Fire Station, in an entrapment operation at Purok Crossing, Barangay Sicade, in Kumalarang, Zamboanga del Sur. Casanes was arrested by agents of the BFP and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group on Monday after receiving P400,000 from a job applicant in exchange for a sure entry into the bureau. Both the BFP and the Philippine National Police are under the Department of the Interior and Local Government. —DEXTER CABALZA

Senate urged to pass antiscam measureA party list legislator on Tuesday called on the Senate to act swiftly on a proposed measure seeking to curb digital financial fraud and imposing stiff penalties on perpetrators, including life imprisonment and up to P5 million in fines. A similar draft measure, House Bill No. 7393, or the proposed Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act, was passed on third and final reading by the House of Representatives in May. Bicol Saro party list Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan on Tuesday expressed concern over the proliferation of bogus bank and e-wallet advisories, and fake links intended to scam their recipients as well as other phishing and smishing activities, which could worsen during the holiday season. Yamsuan cited data from GCash, which blocked 4 million accounts on suspicion of fraud from January 2022 to June 2023 and PLDT, which blacklisted 5.5 million domains used in phishing, spam and other hoax activities. Also blocked were more than 400,000 mobile numbers engaged in illegal activities. —JEANETTE I. ANDRADENew BuCor facility to rise in Lanao del NorteThe Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) will construct a new prison facility in Lanao del Norte province after the local government of the municipality of Maigo donated 9.6 hectares of its land in Barangay Menting to BuCor. BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. received the deed of donation from Maigo Mayor Rafael Rizalda in a ceremony in Cagayan de Oro City on Nov. 23. The donation was made in support of BuCor’s regionalization plan to decongest its facilities. Under its P205-billion five-year plan, BuCor will close down the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City in 2028 and transfer it to another site outside of Metro Manila. —DEXTER CABALZA