Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said on Thursday that the security detail of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has been reinstated since a week ago.
“Last week pa,” Albayalde told INQUIRER.net when asked to verify the information.
Reports on Thursday said that Albayalde ordered Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG) Director C/Supt. Filmore Escobal to remove Trillanes’ security detail.
It was apparently removed on September 4, the same day that Malacañang revoked the amnesty granted to Trillanes by former President Benigno Aquino III.
READ: PNP removes Trillanes’ police security detail
READ: Albayalde ordered recall of Trillanes’ police security detail, says PNP exec
According to Proclamation 572 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte himself, the amnesty given to Trillanes for his involvement in mutinies in 2003 and 2007 should be revoked because the senator did not comply with the minimum requirements of the amnesty program.
Critics have slammed Malacañang’s decision, saying that the crackdown on Trillanes — a staunch critic of Duterte — is just a diversionary tactic to take the public’s attention from issues such as inflation, the rice crisis, and the alleged state-sponsored killings in the guise of a war on illegal drugs.
In July this year, the PNP also recalled Trillanes’ police escorts based on the “Alunan doctrine,” which requires the police force to provide government officials with two bodyguards each. At that time, Trillanes still had six bodyguards even with the recall of the police personnel. /ee
READ: PNP: Trillanes still has 6 bodyguards after 2 cops were removed