ANTHONY VARGAS, CORRESPONDENT
AROUND 700 policemen acting as security escorts for Very Important Persons (VIPs) are to be recalled back to their respective mother units in the Philippine National Police (PNP), a ranking police official said on Wednesday.
Chief Supt. Alfred Corpus, the director of the PNP’s Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG), said in a news briefing on Wednesday that the recall is an implementation of a resolution of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
According to Corpus, Resolution 100015 dated November 13, 2015 prescribes rules and regulations on employment, availment or engagement of security personnel or bodyguards during the election period for the synchronized national and local elections in May this year.
“The election period for the [May polls] will begin on January 10 and will last up to June 8, 2016 or 120 days before and 30 days after Election Day,” he read from a prepared statement.
The PSPG director said they are expecting the 700 police personnel to be recalled by January 11.
He cited Section 1, Rule 4 of the Comelec resolution that states, “All authority granting security personnel or bodyguards [is] hereby revoked at the start of the election period.”
Corpus said that as compliance with the Comelec resolution, the PSPG started sending recall letters last December 10.
He added that the recall order will cover all PSPG personnel detailed to candidates for the 2016 elections or his/her immediate family members within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity.
Corpus said all recalled personnel were directed to report at the PNP grandstand on January 11 for consolidation and accounting after the Monday flag-raising ceremony in Camp Crame in Quezon City.