PNP recalls Ecija security escorts

CABANATUAN CITY, Philippines – The Philippine National Police has recalled some 50 of its personnel who served as security escorts of local candidates in Nueva Ecija in last month’s elections.

Senior Superintendent Ricardo Marquez, PNP pro-vincial director, told The STAR that with the end of the election period on June 9, policemen detailed as security escorts for local bets have been ordered to go back to their respective mother units.

Marquez, however, said the recall order has not yet covered re-elected Gov. Aurelio Umali, vice governor-elect Gay Padiernos and outgoing Vice Gov. Edward Thomas Joson and all winning candidates in the 27 towns and five cities of the province.

“Except for those who have won and the incumbents, we have recalled the police security escorts of all politicians in Nueva Ecija,” he said, adding these lawmen must go back to their mother units because starting June 10, they no longer have the authority to be detailed as security escorts.

He said Joson, who lost in the gubernatorial race to Umali, remains an incumbent whose term of office expires on June 30 yet.

He said the authority given by the Commission on Elections for them to be security escorts expired simultaneous with the end of the election period.

Marquez said some of the candidates have requested him to retain their security escorts. “But it is beyond my authority already,” he said, noting that requests will have to be forwarded to higher-ups for threat assessment.

Based on PNP records, a total of 2,194 local and national candidates were secured by some 3,800 policemen as early as the start of the election period on Jan. 10.