Honor guards during Cory burial now undergoing training

MANILA, Philippines - Four honor guards who accompanied the casket of former President Corazon Aquino during her funeral procession last August will not be given special treatment once they are designated as security escorts of president-elect Benigno Aquino III. Incoming Presidential Security Group (PSG) commander Col. Ramon Mateo Dizon told The STAR the honor guards will undergo the usual training.

“The PSG is a professional unit,” he said.

“We work as a team and no one is above the others. They (honor guards) have to undergo the usual processes. It is hard to treat people differently.”

Just like any other member of the PSG, Dizon said he expects the honor guards to do their best in securing the incoming president.

“It would be an honor to be a protector of the President. You don’t say no to the President,” Dizon said.

Army Private First Class Antonio Cadiente, Airman Second Class Gener Laguindan, Navy Petty Officer 3 Edgardo Rodriguez and Police Officer 2 Danilo Malab Jr. are being eyed as close-in security of the incoming president. Dizon said the transfer papers of the three military personnel are now being processed. “We have requested their transfer from J1 (deputy chief of staff for personnel),” he said.

“Hopefully, their transfer orders would be approved before July 1.” Dizon said the transfer papers of other military personnel who secured Aquino’s funeral last year are also being processed.

Seaman First Class Arturo Roadilla, Jr. Airman First Class Sherwin del Rosario, and Army Private First Class Rico Seno escorted Mrs. Aquino’s remains from the funeral home to the Manila cathedral in Intramuros. Dizon said the honor guards will undergo the usual 45-day training on securing prominent persons.

Information from the Armed Forces Public Affairs Office showed that such training include food tasting, marksmanship, bomb disposal, crowd control, and media relations. 

The honor guards were lauded for their dedication to duty after they stood for more than eight hours during the long funeral parade of Aquino, who died of colon cancer on Aug. 1 last year. The late president’s casket was brought in a procession from the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila to the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque.