The entire 15-member unit of a police regional training center in Central Visayas (RTC-7) was ordered relieved by Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Debold Sinas on Friday, February 5, due to alleged irregularities involving excessive, overpriced, and unauthorized deductions from salaries and allowances of around 1,000 police recruits.
Sinas said he ordered a full-dress investigation into the training anomaly after police recruits from "Spartan" and "Madasig" Class who are undergoing Public Safety Basic Recruit Course (PSBRC) at the RTC-7 training school in Consolacion, Cebu reported to the PNP Intelligence Group (IG) that they were made to pay overpriced amounts for their meals, uniforms, and clothing accessories which were deducted from their monthly salary.
In a phone interview with the Manila Bulletin, Police Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana, PNP spokesperson, said Police Colonel Edwelito Rosales, the training director of RTC-7, appeared to be in connivance with the caterer of the recruits identified as Eric Alvarez, a retired police captain, to milk out money from the police recruits.
He said around 1,000 students of PSBRC, Public Safety Junior Leadership Course (PSJLC), and Public Safety Senior Leadership Course (PSSLC) were required to pay P10,080 each for their two months' worth of meals in December 2020 even though the recruits were on a Christmas and academic break.
"These are unauthorized collections that were made without the authority of the RTC-7 at the expense of the students," Usana said.
Further, it was found out that the recruits were also asked to shell out P3,650 for their COVID-19 antigen tests, which are double its market price of P1,500 to P2,000.
Usana said it was Rosales who also collected the money from the recruits for their antigen tests.
Sinas has already directed Police Maj. Gen. Alex Sintin, director of the National Police Training Institute (NPTI), to finish their investigation and file administrative cases against all personnel involved in the training corruption.
"The training center should be the most ideal place to shape the character of police recruits, it should maintain zero tolerance to graft and corruption," the PNP Chief said.
Meanwhile, Sinas instructed Sintin to provide information to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) for the possible filing of criminal cases against all RTC-7 personnel who will be proven to be involved in the training anomaly.
The relieved personnel were transferred to the Regional Holding Administration Unit of Central Visayas Police Office.