Nartatez orders audit amid alleged rent kickback scheme in Cordillera training unit

Philippine National Police chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has ordered a review of the financial records of all regional training units across the country after an alleged rental kickback scheme was uncovered at a police training unit in the Cordillera Administrative Region.

“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.

“I have ordered a mandatory audit of all lease agreements involving trainees. Dapat transparent at documented ang bawat sentimo. If you are found guilty of squeezing money from our recruits, you are out of the service immediately,” he added.

The PNP said trainees at the Regional Special Training Unit in the Cordillera Administrative Region (RSTU-CAR) were allegedly coerced to shoulder part of their superiors’ housing costs.

“An initial investigation uncovered questionable lease agreements from 2023 to 2025. While the standard monthly rent for trainees was capped at P3,000, recruits were reportedly coerced into paying an additional P600 ‘top-up’ fee,” the PNP said.

“This extra collection was allegedly used to cover the rental fees of their Field Training Officers (FTOs),” it added.

A report from the PNP Training Service indicated that although the affected batches had already graduated by mid-2025, records from 2023 to 2025 point to possible systemic malpractice.

Criminal and administrative cases are being considered against those involved, according to the PNP.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), as well as the Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG), have been tasked to determine if similar schemes are being implemented in other training units nationwide. —AOL, GMA News