The Highway Patrol Group is a police unit under the Philippine National Police (PNP) who supervises traffic-related crimes and its management.
History The Highway Patrol Group was established as Traffic Control Group (Trafcon) in 1955 as a response to a high-profile vehicular accident along a highway in Pampanga, now known as the MacArthur Highway. The accident which occurred on November 4, 1954, which killed House of Representatives members Gregorio Tan of Samar and Lorenzo Ziga of Albay. President Ramon Magsaysay urged Congress to establish a "specialized and dedicated" police unit to maintain road traffic safety across the Philippines.
The Trafcon was a unit under the Philippine Constabulary, which in turn was part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The Trafcon later became known as the Constabulary Highway Patrol Group. The HPG was absorbed in 1991 when the Philippine National Police was formed through the merger of the Constabulary and the Integrated National Police. The HPG became the Traffic Management Group. However the traffic law enforcement powers of the patrol group was given to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and local government units (LGUs) some years later. In May 2008, TMG became Highway Patrol Group due to Napolcom Resolution No. 2008-262.
The Highway Patrol Group returned to EDSA in 2015 and was tasked to enforce traffic laws due to worsening traffic conditions in the Metro Manila thoroughfare at the time. This is to augment MMDA traffic constables and LGU enforcers. The HPG last patrolled EDSA in 1994.
Organization As the Traffic Control Group (Trafcon), the unit was under the Philippine Constabulary. It later became part of the Philippine National Police. The HPG has Regional Highway Patrol Units under it.
Role
The Highway Patrol Group is a highway patrol with a national scope. It is tasked to enforce traffic safety roles and provides general supervision to local police forces with regard to the enforcement of traffic laws. It also provides assistance to the Land Transportation Office, formerly the Bureau of Land Transportation. The HPG furthermore also enforces driver's licenses and motor vehicle registration and regulations with regards to public carriers.
Directors
No. Name TermRef.1.PCOL Mariano C Azurin06 December 1954 - 22 February 19572.PCOL Amadeo D Garcia, Sr.02 May 1957 - 11 May 19573.PCOL Jose R Regala12 June 1962 - 15 September 19654.PCOL Jaime A Catral01 October 1968 - 31 December 19705.LTC Amante S Bueno27 May 1973 - 05 July 19736.PBGEN Antonio P Abaya03 July 1973 - 30 October 19797.PBGEN Jose V Sembrano30 October 1979 - 30 October 19818.PBGEN Protacio A Larroya26 April 1983 - 07 April 19869.PBGEN Benjamin Z Dizon 07 April 1986 - 24 March 198810.PBGEN Manuel F Bruan24 March 1988 - 09 April 199011.PBGEN Wilfredo D Cruz09 April 1990 - 01 January 199112.PBGEN Norberto M Lina01 January 1991 - 21 March 199113.PCSUPT Jose Percival Adiong21 March 1991 - 21 July 199214.PCSUPT Renato Motus21 July 1992 - 23 May 199315. PCSUPT Miguel G Coronel23 May 1993 - 17 July 199416.PSSUPT Francisco Zubia, Jr.17 July 1994 - 01 June 199517.PSSUPT Florencio D Fianza19 June 1995 - 08 January 199618.PCSUT Romeo B Maganto08 January 1996 - 21 May 199619.PSSUPT Norberto Manaog22 May 1996 - 16 August 199724.PCSUPT Renato Paredes31 July 2000 - 01 August 2002 PCSUPT Danilo P Mangila01 August 2002 - 17 November 2004PCSUPT Ricardo C Quinto17 November 2004 - 18 October 2005PCSUPT Orlando M. Mabutas22 December 2008 - 02 July 2010PCSUPT Leonardo P Espina02 July 2010 - 06 September 2012PCSUPT Arazzad P Subong12 September 2012 - 20 April 2015PCSUPT Arnold D Gunnacao20 April 2015 - 01 July 2016PCSUPT Antonio N Gardiola, Jr. 01 July 2016 – 10 July 2017PCSUPT Arnel B Escobal10 July 2017 - 01 June 2018PCSUPT Roberto B FajardoJune 4, 2018 – August 15, 2019PBGEN Dionardo CarlosOctober 21, 2019 – January 19, 2020PBGEN Eliseo dela Cruz January 19, 2020 – October 6, 2020PBGEN Alexander Tagum October 6, 2020 – November 5, 2021PBGEN Gregory Bogñalbal November 5, 2021 – November 15, 2021PBGEN Rommel Francisco D. MarbilNovember 15, 2021 – August 8, 2022PBGEN Clifford GairanodAugust 8, 2022 – April 4, 2023PBGEN Raul BargamentoApril 4, 2023 – June 23, 2023PBGEN Allan NazzaroJune 26, 2023 – May 15, 2024PBGEN Jay CumigadMay 15, 2024 – October 8, 2024PBGEN William SegunOctober 8, 2024 – January 11, 2025PBGEN Eleazar MattaJanuary 11, 2025 – 03 July 2025
References
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