The Philippine National Police (PNP) has directed the immediate initiation of dismissal proceedings against a police major assigned to its regional medical unit in Bicol, following his arrest in an entrapment operation for alleged extortion involving a police applicant.
The 40-year-old officer, a medical doctor stationed at the Regional Medical Unit 5 (RMU-5), was arrested on Thursday, June 18, inside his office at Camp Brig. Gen. Simeon A. Ola in Legazpi City after allegedly demanding ₱50,000 in exchange for ensuring a recruit would pass the medical examination phase of police recruitment.
Authorities from the Regional Intelligence Division and the Legazpi City Police Station conducted the entrapment operation, during which marked money and boodle cash were recovered from the suspect.
PNP Chief Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. immediately ordered his relief from post and directed the filing of both criminal and administrative charges, alongside summary dismissal proceedings.
Nartatez said the case reflects a serious breach of trust within the organization and ordered a broader review of recruitment processes handled by the suspect to determine if other applicants were victimized or if similar irregularities occurred.
“I am deeply infuriated that a high-ranking officer and medical professional would blatantly compromise the integrity of our recruitment system,” Nartatez said, adding that an internal probe will determine whether the scheme forms part of a wider network.
The PNP leadership said it is coordinating closely with investigators to ensure the officer is stripped of rank, benefits, and permanently barred from service if found guilty.
Officials also reiterated that no payment is required at any stage of police recruitment and urged applicants and families to report any individuals soliciting money in exchange for assistance or guarantees of passing requirements.
The incident comes days after a similar case in Bacolod City, where a police corporal was arrested for allegedly extorting a police applicant, prompting intensified monitoring of recruitment-related irregularities across the force.