The National Police Clearance (commonly called PNP Clearance or Police Clearance) issued by the Philippine National Police is one of the most frequently required documents in the Philippines. It is mandatory for employment (local and overseas), firearm license applications, travel abroad, business permits, and many other transactions. Since the system became fully online in 2018, millions of Filipinos apply every year through the official portal (pnpclearance.gov.ph or nationalpoliceclearance.ph).

One of the most common and frustrating issues applicants encounter is seeing the status “ON HOLD – HIT” or “FOR FURTHER VERIFICATION – HIT.” When this happens because of a namesake (a different person with the same or very similar name who has a derogatory record), the clearance will not be released until the PNP manually confirms you are not that person.

This article explains everything you need to know about namesake hits in the PNP National Police Clearance system — causes, resolution procedures, required documents, timelines, fees, common pitfalls, and preventive measures — based on the current PNP rules and actual experiences of thousands of applicants as of 2025.

What Exactly Is a “Hit” in the PNP Clearance System?

A “hit” occurs when the name you entered in the application matches or closely resembles a name in the PNP’s national derogatory database. The database contains records of persons who:

Have pending criminal cases
Have been convicted
Are wanted
Have police blotter entries involving crimes
Are listed in watchlists or intelligence reports

The system uses an automated name-matching algorithm. It does not initially consider fingerprints, birth dates, or middle names perfectly — it flags anything that looks similar. This is why names like “John Michael Santos,” “Maria Cristina Reyes,” “Jose Cruz,” and “Mark Anthony Garcia” trigger hits extremely often.

There are two types of hits:

Actual Hit – The derogatory record belongs to you (pending case, conviction, warrant, etc.).
Namesake Hit – The record belongs to a completely different person who happens to have the same or very similar name.

This article focuses exclusively on the second type (namesake hit), which comprises the vast majority of hits in the system.

Immediate Steps When You See “Hit” Status

Do not panic. Almost all namesake hits are eventually cleared. The process is just slower.
Log in to your account at https://pnpclearance.gov.ph and check the exact remark. It will usually say “HIT – FOR FURTHER VERIFICATION” or “REFERRED TO DIDM” (Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management).
You will receive an email and/or SMS instructing you to report to the PNP National Headquarters, Camp Crame, Quezon City for manual verification.
Book an appointment immediately through the same portal (there is now a specific scheduling link for hit cases) or via the PNP Hit Verification online booking system.

Where You Must Go and Current Process (2025)

As of 2025, all namesake hit verifications for the National Police Clearance are centralized at:

PNP Clearance Processing and Issuance Division (CPID)
Ground Floor, PNP Multi-Purpose Building
Camp Crame, Quezon City
(near Gate 4, along EDSA)

Some cases are still routed to the DIDM Case Monitoring Division (also in Camp Crame), but CPID is now the main processing unit.

Current Verification Flow (Namesake Cases)

Appointment Day
- Arrive early (gates open 7:00 AM).
- Proceed to the Hit Verification Section / Window.
- Submit your printed application form, reference number, and official receipt.
Document Checking
- The personnel will check your submitted documents (full list below).
Biometric Re-capture (if needed)
- They will take your fingerprints again using a higher-quality live scanner.
- These fingerprints are compared against the fingerprints of the person in the derogatory record.
- If there is no match → you are cleared on the spot or within 1–3 days.
Issuance
- Once cleared, your status online will change to “READY FOR RELEASE” or “CLEARED.”
- You can then print your police clearance with QR code directly from the website.

Complete List of Required Documents for Namesake Hit Clearance (2025)

Bring originals + 2 photocopies of everything:

Printed Application Form with Reference Number
Official Receipt of Payment (₱160 – ₱180 depending on the site)
Two (2) valid government-issued IDs (preferably with photo and signature)
Original PSA Birth Certificate (not local civil registrar copy)
PSA CENOMAR (Certificate of No Marriage) if single, or PSA Marriage Certificate if married (to prove maiden name or name changes)
Affidavit of Denial of Identity (one-page notarized affidavit stating you are not the person in the derogatory record; template available online or at Camp Crame)
Barangay Certificate of Residency (recent, with your complete address)
NBI Clearance (current or expired within 1 year) – highly recommended because it already shows you were cleared by NBI
Additional supporting documents (any of the following help speed up the process):
- Old police clearances (showing previous “no derogatory record”)
- Passport bio page
- School records / diploma with your name
- Company ID or employment certificate
- TIN ID, SSS E-1 or UMID, PhilHealth ID

For OFWs or those abroad: You may authorize a representative via Special Power of Attorney (consularized if executed abroad) but personal appearance is still preferred. Some have succeeded with email submission of documents + video call verification, but this is not guaranteed.

Fees for Hit Processing

Regular application fee: ₱160–₱180 (already paid)
No additional official fee for namesake hit verification (as of 2025)
Some applicants report being asked for ₱100–₱300 “processing” or “expedite” fee by fixers — this is illegal. Refuse and report to PNP.

Realistic Timelines (2025 Actual Experience)

Common names (Santos, Reyes, Cruz, Garcia, Dela Cruz, etc.): 1 day to 2 weeks
Less common names: often cleared same day or within 3 days
Peak seasons (January–March, June–August): up to 4–6 weeks
If your fingerprints clearly do not match: usually cleared within 1–7 days
If the derogatory record is very old or the person is deceased: may take longer (they have to retrieve physical files)

How to Avoid or Minimize Namesake Hits in Future Applications

Use your exact complete name as it appears in your PSA birth certificate (including middle name).
Include suffixes (Jr., III, etc.) if they are in your birth certificate.
Apply for NBI Clearance first — many employers accept either, and NBI hits are sometimes easier to clear.
Maintain a “clean” name history — avoid aliases.
If you know you have a common name, apply early (at least 2–3 months before you need it).

What If It’s NOT a Namesake — It’s Actually Your Record?

If during verification they discover the record is yours, the clearance will remain on hold until you resolve the underlying case. You will need to secure:

Certificate of No Pending Case from the court/prosecutor, or
Court clearance/order of dismissal, or
Warrant lift order if there is an outstanding warrant

This is an entirely different (and more serious) process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I get a refund if my application is on hold for months?
A: No. The fee is non-refundable.

Q: Will the hit appear forever in future applications?
A: Once cleared as namesake, the system usually remembers and future applications are processed automatically with “no derogatory record.”

Q: Does a namesake hit affect visa applications or background checks abroad?
A: No, because the final police clearance you submit will state “no derogatory record.”

Q: Is the Camp Crame process still chaotic in 2025?
A: Significantly improved since 2023. With online appointment booking and centralized CPID, most applicants finish in half a day to two days.

Final Advice

A namesake hit is an inconvenience, not a catastrophe. Treat it as a normal part of the process if your name is common. Go to Camp Crame prepared with all possible documents, remain polite, and you will almost certainly walk out cleared. Thousands of Filipinos go through this every week and successfully obtain their police clearance.

Apply early, keep your documents updated, and remember: the PNP system is designed to catch real criminals — not to punish people for having the same name as someone else.