ILOILO City – Without the approval of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Philippine National Police (PNP), no one seeking an elective post this coming 2019 midterm elections could tap the services of policemen as security escorts.
Policemen unauthorized to serve as politicians’ security escorts could be dismissed from the service, said Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, director of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6).
Under Section 33 of Republic Act 7166 (Synchronized Election Law of 1991), “during the election period, no candidate for public office, including incumbent public officers seeking election to any public office, shall employ, avail himself of or engage the services of security personnel or bodyguards, whether or not such bodyguards are regular members or officers of the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines or other law enforcement agency of the Government…”
However, the same section added: “…when circumstances warrant, including but not limited to threats to life and security of a candidate, he may be assigned by the Commission, upon due application, regular members of the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines or other law enforcement agency who shall provide him security for the duration of the election period.”
According to Bulalacao, politicos in Western Visayas wanting to have police security escorts must first inquire with the PRO-6 about the availability of policemen who could render security escort service, then request for such from the PNP national headquarters.
The politicos must make a separate request with the Comelec, he added.
The nods of both Comelec and PNP are needed before politicians could avail themselves of the security services of policemen, stressed Bulalacao.
He also said a politico is only allowed to have one police escort.
“Policemen violating this policy could be dismissed from the service for grave misconduct. I assure our stakeholders in the region that all pertinent laws and police policies relative to the forthcoming midterm elections will be diligently implemented,” said Bulalacao.
The police director also stressed that politicians seeking police escorts must justify the request for such.
“Or they may get their security escorts from a security agency,” said Bulalacao./PN
