MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) announced on Tuesday, April 4, the resignation of the director of the PNP Highway Patrol Group (HPG) after an HPG officer allegedly hit a trainee.

In a statement, the national police said Brigadier General Clifford Gairanod, director of the PNP HPG, voluntarily relinquished his post to facilitate a fair probe into the incident, where a HPG officer was seen in a video circulating online allegedly hitting a trainee.

In a message to Rappler, PNP Public Information Office chief Colonel Redrico Maranan confirmed that the PNP HPG officer who was seen in a video hitting a trainee is Gairanod’s son.

The incident happened during the graduation rites of the PNP HPG’s Executive Motorcycle Riding Course in Sariaya, Quezon.

According to the PNP, Gairanod said he took full responsibility of the incident and relieved the officer involved in the incident, including the rest of the training staff while probe was still underway.

The PNP appointed Colonel Jay Cumigad, former Deputy Regional Director for Operations of Central Luzon regional police, as the new HPG chief.

Meanwhile, police chief General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. ordered the PNP Internal Affairs Service to conduct a probe and determine the possible violations of the cop who allegedly hit the trainee. The scope of the investigation would also include other training staff who might be directly involved in the incident, the PNP added.

“The PNP has once again reiterated its call to each member to religiously 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,” the national police said.

“The PNP also reminded its personnel to be circumspect in all their actions within and outside the bounds of their official functions. It will not tolerate any misconduct committed by its members.” – Rappler.com