Manila, March 25 -- 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 whil...