The head of the Highway Patrol Group (HPG), Police Brigadier General Clifford Gairanod, has resigned from his post, after his son who is also a policeman and is now involved in the controversy, was removed from his post.
In a report by Sandra Aguinaldo on GMA News “24 Oras” this Wednesday, it was said that Gairanod resigned to allow the Philippine National Police (PNP) to conduct an investigation regarding the “pinning” video in which his son appears to be hurting a trainee. Police Captain Clifton Gairanod.
A video recently went viral where the trainee can be seen kneeling, while an officer in front of him seems to be punching him in the chest.
The incident reportedly happened during trainees’ graduation at the Executive Motorcycle Riding Course in Sariaya, Quezon.
But it is said that the officer is not punching the graduated trainee but rather placing or “pinning” the rider’s badge on the graduate.
But in the video, the trainee can be heard loudly “placing” his rider’s badge. The younger Gairanod is said to be the official.
HPG chief resigns after son involved in controversy
Apart from Clifton, the elder Gairanod also removed other training team members involved in the controversy before he resigned.
“It pains me in the heart, I relieved my son and had him investigated together with our other training team,” said Gen. Gairanod.
“May ganun talaga (na bahagi ng tradisyon) ma’am na we pin the rider’s badge on the breast of the graduates. Then they will go around the ‘tigers’ or the alumni of the course and all the HPG instructors to give them pounding on the chest,” he added.
According to the official, some graduates are asking to add force to the placement of the pin.
“Some are requesting na lakasan, some are requesting na normal, some are requesting na gusto nila malakas talaga kasi proud sila na pin-an,” explained Gen. Gairanod.
PNP chief Gen Rodolfo Azurin Jr. is also investigating the incident at the Internal Affairs Service.
He also reminded the police to always follow the law and policy in everything they do.
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