MANILA -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday welcomed the new executive order signed by President Rodrigo Duterte, which sets new guidelines on the detail of police and military personnel to civilian offices and officials to maximize their utilization and at the same time enable them to perform better.
“The PNP is looking at better prospects for a uniform policy and guidelines governing the detail of military and police security personnel to civilian offices and officials. This latest issuance reinforces the authority of the PNP to deploy personnel to provide security to certain individuals subject to rules and conditions set under existing regulations and procedure,” PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said in a statement.
Under Republic Act 6975, the PNP, mainly through the Police Security and Protection Group, is mandated to provide security for government officials, foreign dignitaries and private individuals authorized to be given protection.
Executive Order No. 98 clearly defines and clarifies all gray areas surrounding the detail of members of the PNP and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to civilian offices and officials.
Under EO 98 signed on Nov. 29, Duterte sees the need to "rationalize and update the rules" governing the detail of personnel of both the AFP and PNP to erstwhile and incumbent government officials who need assistance or protection.
Currently, EOs 41 and 207 signed in 1966 and 2016, respectively, allow military and police personnel to serve as security detail.
EO 98, however, repeals EOs 41 and 207 to pave the way for the promulgation of new rules and regulations concerning the detail of AFP and PNP personnel to government offices and officials.
Under the new EO, the President can have an aide-de-camp, military assistant, and military administrative assistant, "in such number and of such grades as he may determine."
The EO defines an aide-de-camp as "a commissioned officer of the AFP, in the active service, selected to provide general assistance to entitled government officials and foreign military or civilian dignitaries."
The EO provides that an aide-de-camp, in such number and grades that may be determined and approved by the head of the Defense department, can be detailed to the Vice President, visiting foreign military or civilian dignitaries, the Defense Secretary, and other government officials.
A military assistant is referred to as "a commissioned officer of the AFP with a field grade rank in the active service, or in the appropriate rank of Technical Service of the AFP, detailed to a civilian office and/or official for the purpose of rendering professional/technical advice and assistance on military matters," according to EO 98.
It also permits the Vice President, Senate President, the House Speaker, Executive Secretary, Senate and House chairs on national defense and security, the National Security Adviser, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency director-general, and other government officials to have a military assistant upon the Defense Secretary's approval.
The EO likewise defines a military administrative assistant as a "non-commissioned officer of the AFP with the rank of Staff Sergeant, Technical Sergeant, and Master Sergeant, or its equivalent in the Philippine Navy, in the active service of the AFP, detailed to a civilian office and/or official for the purpose of rendering administrative assistance on military matters."
Under EO 98, government officials are allowed to have a military administrative assistant, as long as they secure the nod of the Defense Secretary.
The EO, which takes effect immediately, directs the DND, the PNP, and the DILG to issue separate rules and regulations for the implementation of the order, including quotas or deployment limits, within a month from its effectivity. (PNA)
