Duterte restricts assignment of military, police details to civilians

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has imposed restrictions on the detailing of security personnel to civilian offices and private individuals to maximize the use of the military and the police forces.

The updated guidelines on the assigning of military and police personnel to civilians are contained in Executive Order 98 signed by the president last Nov. 29.

"There is a need to rationalize and update the rules governing the detail of both the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the PNP (Philippine National Police) to persons authorized to be given assistance and/or protection, to maximize the utilization of the military and PNP, and enable them to better perform their respective mandates," the order read.

The order repealed EO 41 issued in 1966, which provided rules on the detail of soldiers to civilian offices and officials as aides-de-camp and military assistants and EO 207 signed in 2016, which increased the number of soldiers and policemen detailed to former presidents and their spouse or widow.

Under EO 98, the officials entitled to military aides-de-camp are the president, the vice president, visiting foreign military or civilian dignitaries, the defense secretary, and other officials as may be determined and approved by the defense secretary.

An aide-de-camp is a commissioned military officer selected to provide general assistance to entitled officials and dignitaries.

Officials who are entitled to military assistants are the president, vice president, Senate president, House speaker, executive secretary, the chairs of the Senate and House defense committees, national security adviser, director-general of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, and other officials as may be determined and approved by the defense secretary.

Military assistants are commissioned military officers detailed to a civilian office or official to render professional or technical advice and assistance on military matters.

The president shall also have military administrative assistants or non-commissioned officers detailed to render administrative assistance to military officers. Other officials who are entitled to aides-de-camp and military assistants may also be given military administrative assistants subject to the approval of the defense secretary.

No military personnel shall be detailed to other government officials other than those enumerated in the order.

The assignment of security personnel to private individuals has to be approved by the president.

"No military personnel shall be detailed or assigned to a private individual unless such detail or assignment is approved by the President, upon the recommendation of the DND (Department of National Defense) Secretary," the order read.

The PNP will provide security details to government officials and entitled persons in accordance with existing guidelines and procedures that may be amended or supplemented from time to time, subject to the approval of the interior department.

Duterte also limited the number of military personnel assigned to former presidents.

Under EO 98, former presidents shall be entitled to military assistants, military administrative assistants and protective security but the number of personnel should not exceed 12. The spouse or widow of former presidents or their identified next of kin shall be entitled to military administrative assistants and protective security but the number of personnel to be assigned should not be more than six.

Soldiers and policemen will be assigned to civilian offices or individuals for a year unless earlier terminated to prevent disturbing their career growth. For exceptional and highly justifiable reasons, such detail may be extended to a maximum period of three years.

The updated rules on assigning security personnel to civilians do not apply to the detail of military personnel to Philippine diplomatic missions abroad and those under the Presidential Security Group.