FACT CHECK: Link for ‘PNP Non-Uniformed Personnel’ application is fake

Claim: The Philippine National Police (PNP) is hiring non-uniformed personnel. Applications may be submitted through a link shared in a Facebook post.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The claim was made in a December 21 post on a Facebook group with 249,300 members. The post was made by the page “PRC News Update,” which has 3,000 followers. As of writing, the post has 449 reactions and 414 shares.

According to the post, interested applicants must be at least an elementary graduate, 21 years old, and 5’0 tall. The post includes a link to a supposed application link. 

The bottom line: The supposed application link is fake, and is not officially recognized by the PNP or any of its departments.

Upon clicking the link, users are redirected to a blog page, not a government website affiliated with the PNP. 

Official news and updates, including information on vacant positions, can be found on the official website of the Non-Uniformed Personnel Affairs Division of the PNP’s Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM). The DPRM is tasked with the management of PNP uniformed and non-uniformed personnel.

Not affiliated: The Facebook page that posted the false claim has been flagged by another government agency for sharing fake application links.

In its post, the Philippine Coast Guard also warned the public to be vigilant against false information on government vacancies and online applications.

Wrong details: The Facebook post also listed erroneous eligibility requirements. 

According to a March 2023 notice of vacancy for non-uniformed personnel posted by the DPRM, educational qualifications and experience required vary depending on the position. The age and height requirements in the misleading Facebook post are not mentioned.

Instead of linking to an application, the notice instructed interested applicants to submit required documents in person, by email, or through a courier.

Rappler has already published multiple fact-checks on fake application links that may put users at risk of having their sensitive personal information stolen. (READ: Phishing 101: How to spot and avoid phishing)

• FACT CHECK: ‘SM Christmas Gift’ link is a phishing website
• FACT CHECK: Registration link for ‘Robin Padilla scholarship’ is fake
• FACT CHECK: DOLE-NLRC has no scholarship program

– Kyle Marcelino/Rappler.com

Kyle Marcelino is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.