Authorities arrested two women during a joint sting operation after they allegedly extorted thousands of pesos from a driver’s license applicant, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) announced.

The LTO and the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) conducted the entrapment operation after a victim reported paying P45,000 for license processing, only for the suspects to demand additional fees.

Officers took the suspects into custody and transported them to Camp Crame for documentation and the filing of criminal charges.

“There is no place for fixers and their accomplices in the LTO. We will continue to strengthen our operations against those who exploit the public,” LTO chief Markus Lacanilao said after visiting the suspects in detention.

Lacanilao urged motorists to conduct transactions solely through official agency branches and to report anyone offering illegal service expediting.

The agency reiterated warnings against dealing with unauthorized intermediaries who promise fast-tracked document processing for additional fees, stressed that it is working with law enforcement to eliminate illegal fixing and maintain operational integrity.