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LUCENA CITY – The top official of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) region on Saturday, October 28, condemned the misconduct of a policeman in Gumaca, Quezon after he inflicted physical harm on a civilian in a traffic altercation incident on Thursday, October 26.
“We will not tolerate any behavior that violates the trust and respect we have for the communities we serve,” Brigadier General Paul Kenneth Lucas, Police Region-4A (PRO-4A) director, said in a press statement.
Lucas said he takes allegations of misconduct of police officers seriously and is committed to imposing appropriate actions for wrongdoers.
He emphasized that their primary concern “is to ensure that police officers uphold the highest standards of professionalism and conduct not only during official duties but also in all circumstances whether they are in uniform or not.”
In a report on Friday, October 27, the Quezon police said that Police Chief Master Sergeant Reynan Luminario, a member of the Gumaca police station, temporarily parked his Toyota Grandia Van on Thursday afternoon along the Maharlika Highway in Barangay (village) Rizal to buy something at a convenience store.
A truck driver, who was not named in the report, repeatedly blew his horn when the parked van caused a traffic jam.
Luminario, who was in civilian clothes, immediately went back to his vehicle but was reportedly met with “unsavory words” from the truck driver and his helper who was also unidentified in the report.
An altercation ensued between Luminario and the duo, the report said.
A video taken during the incident and circulated on social media showed that the truck helper was armed with a metal stick and seemed ready to attack the cop but was prevented by bystanders and traffic enforcers in the area.
The video also showed Luminario slapping the back of the head of the truck helper which according to the report was due to the officer’s “impulsive emotion.”
The truck driver and his helper left the place after the incident.
The event also caught the ire of Mayor Webster Letargo. He warned local cops that he would not tolerate any misbehaviors in the municipality.
“The number one duty of the police is to serve and protect. We will not accept this kind of treatment from public servants,” Letargo said in a post on his Facebook.
He expressed his apology to those who were hurt and affected by the event which he said was an “isolated incident.”
“To travelers, especially during the All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day return trips, please be patient and stay calm on your journeys,” Letargo said.
Gumaca is a major thoroughfare for motorists bound for Bicol and Manila.
The PRO-4A Regional Investigation and Detection Management Division has initiated an administrative investigation to determine whether Luminario acted in accordance with the PNP’s ethical standard. The Gumaca police are conducting investigations to identify the truck driver, his helper and witnesses to the incident.
As of Saturday, no criminal complaint has yet been filed against Luminario. He will be assigned to the Quezon Police Personnel Holding Accounting Unit pending approval of the Commission on Elections.