‘Hire security escorts from private agencies’

MANILA, Philippines — With the expected influx of applicants seeking protection during the 2019 midterm elections, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde yesterday appealed to candidates to also look at private security agencies for their security detail.

Albayalde admitted that with a limited number of police officers, the PNP will not be able to secure all politicians, especially those running for posts in critical areas.

“We encourage them to also get from private agencies. There a lot of private agencies providing security,” he said in an interview over dzBB.

According to Albayalde, more than 10,000 police officers are securing politicians, judges, businessmen and other very important persons (VIPs). He said these law enforcers would be better off ridding the streets of criminals rather than guarding VIPs.

He made the statement after a municipal council candidate in San Antonio, Nueva Ecija was shot dead on Friday.

The victim, Allan Joson, 42, was standing a few meters from his house in Barangay Julo when a gunman on board a motorcycle shot him multiple times at around 4:25 p.m.

Chief Supt. Amador Corpus, Central Luzon police director, has ordered an investigation on Joson’s murder.

“We are looking into all angles to establish possible motives and we are exerting all means to get to the bottom of this unfortunate incident,” Corpus said in a statement.

Albayalde also appealed to politicians not to give in to the demand of the New People’s Army for “permit to campaign” fees.

Albayalde said this was nothing more than extortion by communist rebels.

Voluntary drug testing

A day after he raised possible Constitutional violation if candidates will be subjected to mandatory drug testing, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo recommended that those running for the midterm elections should volunteer to be tested.

Panelo, however, admitted that Malacañang has yet to review the recommendation of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to subject senatorial and congressional candidates to mandatory drug testing.

Panelo said voluntary drug test can be plus points for bets who would present themselves to the people.

“Supreme Court has already pronounced, in the case of Social Justice Society v. Dangerous Drugs Board, that mandatory drug testing for senators is not allowed as it imposes additional qualifications beyond the provision of the Constitution,” Panelo said.

But Panelo said local elective officials or candidates for local positions may be subjected to drug tests based on Republic Act (RA) No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

“Said testing is permitted for local government candidates because (RA 9165) or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs (law) has validly amended the Local Government Code in so far as their qualifications and eligibility requirements are concerned,” Panelo said.

Regulating motorcades

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will enforce stricter regulations on motorcades during the campaign period for next year’s midterm polls.

Motorcades will be prohibited in main thoroughfares, especially on national, radial and circumferential roads because they will cause heavy traffic, said MMDA’s Task Force Special Operations commander Edison Nebrija in an interview over dzBB yesterday.

Nebrija also called on motorcycle riders joining such motorcades to wear proper gear and comply with RA 10054 or the Motorcycle Helmet law. – With Christina Mendez, Ghio Ong