MANILA — The former chief of the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group’s (PNP-HPG) Investigation Management Division is facing criminal and administrative complaints for allegedly assaulting a rookie officer over a parking dispute.

In a press briefing at Camp Crame, PNP-HPG director Brig. Gen. Hansel Marantan said physical injury and grave threat charges have been filed against Col. Helson Walin before the Quezon City Prosecutors’ Office. Walin is also facing an administrative case before the PNP Internal Affairs Service (IAS).

Marantan said the development would put an end to allegations that he was favoring Walin, his classmate at the PNP Academy. “So that’s good because there were insinuations. I can’t dismiss that, so that’s okay. The ball is no longer with the HPG anymore,” he added.

Reports said Walin allegedly kicked, pointed a firearm, and hit the head and upper lip of the patrolman with the end of his weapon. The incident, which reportedly lasted nearly 30 minutes, was caught on video and circulated online. The rookie officer, assigned to the Intelligence Branch of the Regional Highway Patrol Unit–National Capital Region, sustained injuries confirmed by a medico-legal examination.

The victim said the encounter occurred on December 16 while he was walking inside Camp Crame after attending to a vehicle with a tire lock. He denied blocking Walin’s path and said they had no prior personal interaction.

P120-M illicit cigarettes seized in Pampanga

Separately, Marantan reported that anti-carnapping and traffic law enforcement operations led to the interception of a cargo truck in San Simon, Pampanga on December 25, resulting in the seizure of over 1,400 master cases of illicit cigarettes valued at approximately PHP120 million.

Throughout 2025, the PNP-HPG conducted more than 109,000 enforcement operations under Presidential Decree No. 96, removed over 55,000 unsafe and unauthorized vehicle accessories, issued more than 530,000 traffic citations, and recovered over 1,000 stolen vehicles. Marantan said the agency successfully returned 27,316 stolen motor vehicles and motorcycles to their registered owners through coordination with vehicle owners and partner agencies.