PNP official sacked over Kian slay returns as HPG chief

Chief Superintendent Roberto Fajardo returned to active duty on Monday after he was tapped as the new chief of the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group, almost a year after he was relieved over the killing of 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos.

PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde announced this during a press briefing in Camp Crame, adding that Fajardo's first order as HPG chief is to help improve traffic flow in Metro Manila.

"We have coordinated with the (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority) on how we can assist in the traffic problem in Metro Manila. This is the first directive I gave to the new HPG director, si General Fajardo," Albayalde said.

"We are offering the services of the HPG para makatulong sa pag-improve ng traffic situation in Metro Manila," he added.

Fajardo replaces Chief Superintendent Arnel Escobal in the HPG post.

In August last year, then-PNP chief Ronald Dela Rosa ordered the administrative relief of Fajardo as chief of the Northern Police District for command responsibility over Delos Santos' death during an alleged drug operation in Caloocan City.

He was temporarily transferred to the Administrative Holding Unit of the PNP at Camp Crame.

Fajardo blamed the "heightened, politicized, and sensationalized" media coverage of the killing of Delos Santos, whom he described as a drug pusher, for his relief from duty.

Fajardo had claimed that they had intelligence reports that Delos Santos was a drug suspect, despite admitting that the 17-year-old was not on any drug watchlist.

Friends and family of Delos Santos, however, refuted Fajardo's claims.  — RSJ, GMA News