By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – Philippine National Police – Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) chief Brig. Gen. Jessie Tamayao stepped down from his post on Wednesday, following a sexual harassment complaint filed against him by a female police officer before the National Police Commission (Napolcom).
In a statement, Tamayao said this is to ensure “a completely impartial, fair, and transparent conduct of the investigation” into the allegations, which he vehemently denied.
“In my 30 years of service, I have never been involved in, nor subjected to, any such allegation or complaint. I have risen through the ranks through my own diligence, hard work, and integrity. By stepping down, I aim to remove any perception of influence or conflict of interest while the proper authorities perform their duties,” he said.
The Napolcom did not identify the complainant, who sought Tamayao’s dismissal from the service for alleged violations of Republic Acts 7877 (Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995) and 10173 (Data Privacy Act of 2012).
According to the complainant, Tamayao allegedly invited her to engage in sexual activity while also reportedly touching her buttocks.
She further claimed that Tamayao’s statements and actions were accompanied by intimidation and threats, including being reassigned to Mindanao if she refused his advances.
The complainant also alleged that Tamayao accessed her cellphone without her consent, read her messages, and took photos of images and conversations from her gallery, Messenger, and Viber accounts.
She said that Tamayao allegedly threatened to use this information against her should she report the incident to former HPG Director Brig. Gen. Hansel Marantan. (PNA)
