DILG chief relieves Makati fire officer accused of extortion

Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo has made an example of a Makati fire officer who was demoted and relieved as city fire safety inspector over an extortion complaint filed by a beauty salon clerk.

Based on Robredo’s orders to Makati City fire marshal Superintendent Ricardo Perdigon, Fire Officer 3 Ronardo Ilagan was relieved of his post at the city fire station.

He was subsequently transferred to the Tejeros Fire Substation, another fire station in the city, where he will serve as an ordinary fire truck crew and nozzle man.

In a statement, Robredo said that Ilagan was relieved and demoted based on a complaint sent through text message by an employee of Kazemi Face, Skin and Body Care Center located at Allegro Center on Chino Roces Avenue Extension in Magallanes, Makati City.

According to the salon clerk, Cheryl Medina, the city fire safety inspector demanded P45,000 in exchange for the issuance of a Fire Safety Inspection Certificate.

She also claimed that Ilagan had twice ordered that their fire extinguishers be refilled even though these were bought from a reputable company.