Got a tip? Send it to us at manila@coconuts.co.
This is not good.
“Two Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (HPG) personnel have been recalled from their posts on Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) after Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) traffic personnel
Leon Trinidad accused them of mauling him last Tuesday, September 22,” reports Julliane Love De Jesus in Philippine Daily Inquirer.
To be fair, Chief Superintendent Arnold Gunnacao, PNP-HPG head, readily identified policemen in the complaint as Senior Inspector Joel Maranion and SPO2 Norman Interino.
The report noted: “Trinidad The complainant went to HPG headquarters in Camp Crame to file administrative charges against Maranion and Interino after they allegedly assaulted him at a U-turn slot along Edsa-Quezon Avenue in Quezon City. But Gunnacao said they are still investigating the allegations the MMDA personnel made against his officers.”
In his sworn statement, Trinidad said “Maranion and Interino beat him up at around 8:30pm last Thu, Sep 17, when he failed to give them the driver’s license that an HPG officer confiscated from a traffic violator.”
The report went on relate: “Trinidad said he was tasked by the HPG cops to bring the licenses of apprehended motorists to another traffic constable, who will issue the Unified Ordinance Violation Receipt.”
The conflict began when Mark Nicolas, a traffic violator, demanded to get back his driver’s license which was confiscated by an HPG cop. Trinidad told Nicolas that the license is not with him. Thus, Nicolas then sought assistance from other HPG officers. However, they only told him to claim his license from Trinidad.
According to Trinidad “the HPG officers kept insisting that he had the Nicolas’ license.” When Maranion and Interino arrived at the area to talk with two other traffic enforcers, Interino allegedly suddenly hit Trinidad on the chest with his helmet. Maranion supposedly joined in.
The two cops were also accused of taking the IDs of Trinidad and two other MMDA traffic personnel before they left.
Gunnacao explained: “The complaint is under investigation. The HPG officers have also been recalled from their posts and were ordered to report to the HPG headquarters as we look into the circumstances surrounding the incident.”
Photo: Dreamstime.com
