Legazpi city: The Police Regional Office (PRO) 5 in Bicol reported the arrest of one of its personnel on Thursday for alleged extortion. The officer was caught in an entrapment operation for demanding and accepting PHP38,000 to facilitate the medical phase of the ongoing Philippine National Police (PNP) recruitment within PRO-5.
According to Philippines News Agency, Lt. Col. Malu Calubaquib, the PRO-5 spokesperson, stated that the suspect is a 40-year-old police officer assigned to the Regional Medical Unit 5 and resides in San Fernando City, La Union. The officer was informed of the arrest's nature and cause and was taken to the Legazpi City Hospital for a medical examination before being turned over to the Legazpi City Police Station for documentation and disposition.
PRO-5 Director Brig. Gen. Erosito Miranda emphasized the importance of internal cleansing within the organization. Miranda highlighted the need for recruitment processes and personnel selection to be merit-based and transparent. He condemned the incident and stressed that maintaining organizational integrity is a shared responsibility among all personnel.
Miranda issued a stern warning against irregularities and corruption in the recruitment process, asserting that the organization would not tolerate such activities. He assured that internal cleansing efforts would continue to hold those tarnishing the service's reputation accountable.
In response to the incident, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered PRO-5 to initiate dismissal proceedings against the police doctor and file charges. Nartatez Jr. expressed his anger over the situation and called for an immediate investigation to determine if the extortion was part of a broader syndicate. He also ordered a review of applicants processed by the suspect to identify any other victims or irregularities in previous recruitment activities.
Nartatez urged applicants and their families to report any offers of recruitment assistance in exchange for money, reinforcing the organization's zero-tolerance policy towards exploiting aspiring individuals for financial gain. A similar incident occurred in Bacolod City last week, where a police corporal was arrested for allegedly extorting money from an applicant for favorable recruitment results.
