The director of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Highway Patrol Group (HPG), Brigadier General Clifford Gairanod, has resigned after an HPG officer allegedly hit a trainee. During the graduation rites of the PNP HPG’s Executive Motorcycle Riding Course in Sariaya, Quezon, an HPG officer was seen in a video circulating online allegedly hitting a trainee. In a statement, the PNP said Gairanod voluntarily relinquished his post “to facilitate a fair probe into the incident” and that Gairanod relieved the officer involved in the incident, including the rest of the training staff whilst a probe was underway. Colonel Jay Cumigad was appointed as the new HPG chief.
Meanwhile, police chief General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. ordered the PNP Internal Affairs Service to investigate the incident and determine the possible violations of the cop who allegedly hit the trainee. The scope of the investigation will also include other training staff who might be directly involved in the incident, the PNP has stated.
All police officers involved in the incident have been relieved from their posts, and the PNP has reiterated a call to each member to “religious abide with the PNP policies and guidelines and strict adherence to the rule of law in all its dealings, to include the conduct of different trainings,” adding that personnel should be circumspect in all their actions on and off duty.
