HPG chief: MMDA should also investigate 'attacked' constable

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) should also conduct an investigation against its constable who was attacked by two members of the Philippine National Police's Highway Patrol Group last Tuesday night, a police official said Saturday.

 

"Dapat maimbestigahan kung bakit pinakawalan ang drayber. Ang patakaran nga natin walang pakiusapan. Siyempre po may mga hakahaka baka may 'usapan,'" HPG director Chief Superintendent Arnold Gunnacao told radio dzBB in an interview.

 

Gunnacao said that the PNP-HPG cannot conduct an investigation on MMDA constable Leon Trinidad.

 

"Sa kanila (MMDA) ang administrative control," he said, adding that the HPG only has operational control of the traffic situation on EDSA.

 

Gunnacao said that the two HPG men -- Senior Inspector Joel Maranion and Senior Police Officer 2 Norman Interino -- have admitted attacking the MMDA constable.

 

"Inaamin nla ang pagkakamali nila," the HPG chief said, adding that the two policemen have been relieved and reassigned. He said appropriate sanctions will be imposed on the two policemen.

 

Gunnacao said that during the interview, the two traffic policemen said they lost control and attacked the MMDA constable because they felt "insulted."

 

"Nainsulto sila doon. Eh deny nang deny ang MMDA (constable). Inumbag [nila]," the HPG director said, repeating the statement of the two police traffic enforcers.

 

He added: "Kinalabasan ay walang ticket dahil pinakawalan ng MMDA ang drayber."

 

Trinidad has filed administrative complaints against the two policemen for the attack. He said he received gashes on his legs and chest as well as trauma during the assault.

 

The MMDA constable was attacked by the two policemen when he failed to produce the driver's license of private car owner Mark Nicolas.

 

Gunnacao explained that in the HPG-MMDA buddy system, the policemen's main role is to apprehend traffic violators and pass them on to the constables for the issuance of traffic violation tickets.

 

The MMDA constable, however, could not produce Nicolas' driver's license.

 

"Kaya pakiusap ko sa mga kasamahan namin na sana sumunod tayo [sa patakaran] na walang pakiusapan," Gunnacao said.

 

The HPG chief, meanwhile, said that he has also reminded all HPG men deployed on EDSA to always keep their cool.

 

"Huwag nating sirain ang mga pinaghirapan natin ng ilang linggo. Pairalin ang lamig ng ulo. Mayroon naman tayong imbestigasyon," he said. —ALG, GMA News