THE Police Regional Office 7 has recalled all police escorts assigned to mayors in Cebu and told them to return to their original units, an official said yesterday.
The order came before two mayors in Luzon were gunned down by unidentified assailants.
While majority of Cebu’s mayors don’t have their own police escorts, Gov. Hilario Davide III said they should be given the option to hire private security personnel if they feel their lives are in danger.
Senior Supt. Julian Entoma, PRO 7 Regional Operations and Plans Division chief, confirmed to SunStar Cebu yesterday that an order was issued by PRO 7 Director Chief Supt. Debold Sinas, recalling all police escorts assigned to local chief executives in Cebu.
Entoma explained that the order was set to be implemented after the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections last May but was not implemented following the relief of former PRO 7 director Chief Supt. Robert Quenery.
Following his assumption as PRO 7 director, Sinas immediately implemented the order.
Entoma explained the order was based on President Rodrigo Duterte’s instruction to the PNP to limit the number of police escorts to two.
This is supposedly meant to prevent mayors from abusing their police security privileges.
“Some mayors bring their police escorts outside their territorial jurisdiction. Illegal naman gud na siya (That’s definitely illegal),” Entoma said.
But Entoma said mayors who are losing their police escorts can apply for security again before the PNP’s Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG).
If the request is approved, each mayor will get a maximum of two escorts. He or she will also not be allowed to bring police escorts outside the city or town where he or she was elected.
Governor Davide and Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale lost their police escorts as well.
But Senior Supt. Manuel Abrugena, Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) director, told SunStar Cebu the escorts were restored after Vice Governor Magpale requested the PRO 7 to reconsider.
In a separate interview, Governor Davide said that following the murders of Tanauan, Batangas Mayor Antonio Halili and General Tinio, Nueva Ecija Mayor Ferdinand Bote earlier this week, hiring private security personnel has become necessary, especially if an official has been receiving threats to his or her life.
But he said he also understands why the PRO 7 recalled police escorts, considering the lack of police personnel assigned in the region. (JKV)