The Philippine National Police (PNP) launched an investigation Friday to determine if two Caloocan police officers arrested for the alleged illegal sale of firearms are affiliated with a broader criminal network.

PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. ordered a background check on the arrested officers and instructed internal units to trace any potential accomplices within the department.

The directive aligns with orders from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla to enforce internal discipline and dismantle criminal syndicates within law enforcement.

“There is no place in the PNP for personnel who abuse their authority or violate the law. If you choose to engage in criminal acts, you will be investigated, arrested, and prosecuted,” Nartatez said.

“Our internal cleansing program will continue without fear or favor, and we will hold every erring police officer fully accountable,” he added.

To recall, the two active-duty officers, assigned to the Caloocan City Police Station, were apprehended Thursday during an undercover buy-bust operation inside a compound in Barangay 5 following an intelligence gather.

Authorities identified the suspects as a 32-year-old police staff sergeant and a 39-year-old police master sergeant. Both allegedly sold firearms to a civilian poseur-buyer.

Investigators are determining the motive behind the illicit sales and looking into potential connections to recent violent crimes across the region, Nartatez said.

Nartatez directed the National Capital Region Police Office to conduct ballistic tests on all seized firearms to determine ownership and verify if the weapons were used in previous shooting incidents.

Both officers face administrative cases alongside criminal charges for violations of Republic Act 10591, also known as the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.