For Naming Police Escorts: Governor says Sanchez compromised security

CEBU, Philippines – The issue of security escorts at the Capitol went a notch higher yesterday, as Governor Gwendolyn Garcia accused Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez of security breach for divulging the names of the police personnel assigned at the Capitol.

Garcia said Sanchez’ motivation in divulging the identities of the escorts is “questionable” and must be investigated. She said she would no longer be surprised if her escorts would get killed or, worse, be asked to kill her.

Three days ago, Sanchez presented to the media a list of policemen escorting Garcia, the governor’s son Paolo, her brother and 3rd District Rep. Pablo John Garcia, and father and 2nd District Rep. Pablo Garcia.

The list showed that the governor has 16 escorts while her son has four. Both her brother and father have one bodyguard each. Sanchez said he wanted to show that the Garcias still enjoy escorts while the Provincial Police Office has recalled his.

Garcia said she was “touched” with Sanchez’ “obsession” about the security details at the Capitol and, in jest, even offered her son’s services to the vice governor.

“Para sa iya na lang si Paolo as his security consultant, that is, kung mosugot ako anak,” Garcia said.

Sanchez, for his part, said he does not need Paolo’s services because he reportedly can get a dozen personnel from his 511 staff in the Navy of which he is lieutenant commander.

He also said he does not mind being subject of investigation. He said he was prompted to raise the issue because Provincial Police Director Erson Digal said earlier that the governor only has four escorts, which is contrary to the figures in the list. He said it is also questionable why there are 40 police personnel detailed at the Capitol when some municipalities lack policemen.

If telling the truth is a crime, he said, they can put him in jail.

Yesterday, Garcia reiterated that if she were to decide alone, she would not want security escorts following her around.

Garcia claimed she does not know how many security escorts she has, much more their names. She said augmenting her security detail was the prerogative of the provincial police office after she declared an all-out-war against illegal drugs and the New People’s Army in Cebu.

In an interview with The FREEMAN last night, Digal said only four police personnel are assigned to escort the governor and that her son, Paolo, is not entitled to an escort because he is not a government official. (THE FREEMAN)