Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. on Wednesday warned police applicants against trying to buy their way into the service following an alleged extortion incident at a regional headquarters in Bacolod City.

Nartatez ordered thorough criminal and administrative investigations of Cpl. Erchelle Letsoncito, who is assigned to the Regional Headquarters Support Unit of the Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR).

The directive follows a formal complaint filed with the Bacolod City Police Office by applicant Cris Jun S. Soriano. Soriano alleged that Letsoncito offered to guarantee his entry into the police force in exchange for P50,000.

“Let this serve as a lesson that you cannot buy your entry into the PNP,” Nartatez said. “The old days of the palakasan system are over. We have already institutionalized reforms to protect the integrity and professionalism of the police force.”

An initial investigation revealed that Soriano handed P10,000 in cash to Letsoncito on 6 April inside the PRO-NIR headquarters at Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. in Barangay Estefania, Bacolod City.

The remaining P40,000 was later transferred electronically through a mobile wallet application on the officer’s instructions.

Soriano later discovered the corporal had no authority to facilitate recruitment. He reported the transaction to Police Station 4 of the Bacolod City Police Office after Letsoncito allegedly tried to contact him at his residence and through village officials on 7 and 8 June.

Nartatez stressed that the national police force maintains a zero-tolerance policy for recruitment irregularities and warned personnel against exploiting applicants.

Following the report, Nartatez instructed all regional directors to intensify monitoring of recruitment activities, enforce anti-corruption policies and immediately investigate any unauthorized recruitment schemes. He also directed the regional office to determine if others were targeted by the scheme and urged additional victims to come forward.