Conclusion
IF one wants to look into the business of very important person (VIP) protection in the country, he or she only has to train his or her sights to the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). These two institutions legally, even questionably, pioneered the art.
Both agencies were—and still are—the most organized and best sources of highly trained and readily available bodyguards or security escorts, even for wily and crooked politicians.
No less than President Duterte has voiced his alarm last year over the witting use and abuse by politicians of the provision for security, as he noted how they have turned their escorts into armed goons.
He said that a politician, at the extreme, should only be entitled to two policemen/bodyguards.
Several years back, the PNP has attempted to totally stop the practice of allowing policemen to act as bodyguards by recalling those who have been deployed for VIP duties, but it apparently failed.
Apart from the twin issues of lack of personnel and “legitimate” armed goons, the police leadership apparently realized that lawmen are being paid with taxpayers’ money in order to serve and protect Filipinos and not only the “gods” or the “privileged few.”
Aside from their salaries, policemen deployed for VIP protection also receive extra pay or allowance in differing amount from the people they were guarding, especially if their patrons are wealthy or corrupt politicians.
Expenses
IN 2009 the PNP, through its Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG), reported that it was spending more than P800 million yearly for the salaries of policemen assigned as bodyguards for the government and private individuals.
The PSPG is mandated by law to provide security to government officials, foreign dignitaries, private individuals authorized to be given protection and key government installations, a PNP document revealed. Likewise, the PNP’s elite counterterrorist force Special Action Force is tasked with VIP protection.
The PSPG listed at that time more than 5,000 policemen who were detailed as security personnel for senators, congressmen, governors, mayors, other government officials and private citizens.
Out of the number, 1,434 policemen, who were receiving P19,359 in monthly salaries from the PNP, are directly from the PSPG while their remaining 3,658 colleagues come from other units of the PNP. They have been also assigned as security details to individuals by the head of the National Police Commission, the chief of the PNP and even by the regional, provincial and city police chiefs.
The massive deployment of policemen for bodyguard duties prompted the PSPG to complain of depletion in personnel for police duties.
Rules
THERE are rules governing the availment of protective security.
One was issued seven years ago in July via PNP Memorandum Circular 2010-009.
The circular was applied “to any person whether public official [elected or appointed] or private individual who intends to avail himself/herself or engage the services of PNP Protective Security Personnel [PRP] and protection agents from Private Detective Agencies [PDAs].”
According to the circular, other public officials and private individuals may avail or engage the services of PNP-PSP subject to the approval of the PNP chief. However, the provision of this service must meet certain conditions.
One is that the applicant requesting for security is under actual threat or threats of death and/or physical harm. The threat or threats, likewise, “is assessed to be imminent” or has a high possibility of occurring.
The security service to the private individual “may be withdrawn or terminated anytime or even before the expiration of the detail when the demands of the PNP so require” or when specific provisions are violated in the circular and other related issuances.
When these conditions are met, the individual can expect the deployment of a maximum of two PNP-PSP and four protection agents.
A private individual seeking PNP protection was required to pay P5,000 as application fee in 2010, the year the circular was issued by then-PNP Director General Jesus A. Verzosa.
Repetitive
IN January last year the PNP announced that it will recall at least 700 policemen who have been acting as bodyguards for politicians in preparation for the elections.
The announcement belied the previous effort of the PNP to return policemen to their units from VIP protection or security detail duties.
Early last month a fuming PNP Director General Ronald dela Rosa also ordered for the recall of the 700 policemen following a drug bust that involved a Taiwanese woman, whose bodyguards are two PNP-assigned policemen.
It turned that out of the 700 policemen, 400 are assigned with private citizens while the remaining 300 are acting as security details for government officials.
Dela Rosa issued the recall order after operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency arrested Diana Yu Uy and seized in her condominium unit near Malacañang a P10 million worth of illegal drugs.
The woman, who has been provided with two police bodyguards, is a daughter of convicted Taiwanese drug queen Yu Yuk Lai, who is held at the Correctional Institute for Women.
Had the PNP known that she was a daughter of a drug queen, she would not have been provided with security, dela Rosa said, while also ordering for the investigation of Uy’s two policemen-bodyguards who have been working for the woman since 2010.
Image credits: Nonie Reyes