LUCENA CITY, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) is in the process of relieving policemen of their escort duties with local officials.
Calabarzon police director Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao said the PNP is tapping the services of private security agencies to replace policemen in doing escort duties.
Pagdilao said the PNP made the decision to pull out the police escorts of local officials to deploy them where they are most needed.
Pagdilao made the announcement in reply to reports that some local officials have been using policemen as their personal bodyguards.
He said the PNP is lacking manpower in some areas in the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) region that necessitates additional policemen.
Another reason why the PNP has decided to pull out the policemen from escort duties is to prevent local officials and politicians from using them for their personal and political agenda, he said.
Pagdilao said the PNP started pulling out the policemen from escort duties shortly after the May 10 elections.
The PNP’s Police Security Protection Group (PPSG) is in charge of assigning police personnel to government officials and other VIPs.