Caloocan City: The Philippine National Police (PNP) anti-scalawag unit recently apprehended three officers from the Caloocan City Police Station on allegations of extorting money from visitors of an inmate.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group reported to PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil that the arrest was made during an entrapment operation. The officers, identified by their ranks as a major, master sergeant, and patrolman, were caught in the act, following a complaint from the relatives of an inmate. These relatives claimed they were coerced into paying at least PHP1,500 per visit, which included a PHP200 entry fee and a PHP550 charge for using the waiting area.

Additionally, two detainees involved in the collection of these fees were also detained during the operation. Gen. Marbil emphasized the PNP's commitment to rooting out corruption within its ranks, stating, "We will not tolerate corruption in our ranks. This successful operation only shows that we are not stopping in our internal cleansing."

The arrested policemen now face both criminal and administrative charges, with the possibility of the maximum penalty being dismissal from service. Inspector Gen. Brigado Dulay of the PNP Internal Affairs Service (IAS) noted an increase in complaints against PNP members, rising by 10 percent from 1,879 in 2023 to 2,073 in 2024. Dulay suggested that this increase might be due to a growing motivation among people to file charges. He also mentioned that the IAS is set to launch an integrity campaign in May to enhance the perception of integrity and professionalism among police officers.