By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has ordered a nationwide review of financial records in all regional training units following allegations that trainees were forced to subsidize their superiors’ housing through a rental kickback scheme.
The review will be conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) to determine if the supposed practice exists elsewhere aside from at the Regional Special Training Unit – Cordillera, where the issue surfaced.
“We want to give the trainees and the public the assurance that this practice is illegal and our move to check and review all our training units nationwide will give them peace of mind that we will never tolerate any form of wrongdoing,” Nartatez said in a statement Wednesday.
An initial probe found questionable lease agreements from 2023 to 2025. While rent was capped at PHP3,000, trainees were allegedly forced to pay an extra PHP600, reportedly used to cover their Field Training Officers’ housing.
A report from the PNP Training Service dated April 19, 2026, indicated the affected batches graduated in mid-2025, but records suggest systemic malpractice.
Nartatez directed the Directorate for Education and Training to work with investigative units to build cases against those involved.
“I have ordered a mandatory audit of all lease agreements involving trainees. Dapat transparent at documented ang bawat sentimo (Every cent must be transparent and documented). If you are found guilty of squeezing money from our recruits, you are out of the service immediately,” he said. (PNA)
