PNP, AFP recall Tulfo brothers’ security escorts

PNP Headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City. (Photo from the PNP Facebook page)

Updated @ 7:16 p.m., June 2, 2019, to add more details

MANILA, Philippines — The security escorts of the Tulfo brothers were recalled for evaluation, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Sunday.

The AFP recalled the two Marines assigned as escorts of Special Envoy to China Ramon Tulfo. due to lack of military personnel, according to Marine Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesperson.

On the other hand, the recall of the police escorts of Tulfo brothers Erwin, Raffy, and Ben was due to a regular review and would be effective on Monday, June 3, according to Col. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson.

“Recalled for review, naka-schedule sila for inspection and interview and debriefing, which is a regular activity ng Police Security Protection Group [PSPG]. So naka-schedule sila this week. So they are being recalled to report,” Banac told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview.

The PSPG is tasked with protecting government and private individuals whose lives are under threat, Banac explained.

According to Banac, the PSPG regularly does an evaluation to check if there is still a need for police escorts to be provided.

“Normal ito, all na mga protectees, hindi lamang kila Tulfo. May review regularly na ginagawa. Itong kila Tulfo is this week yung kanila,” Banac said.

[This is normal for all protectees, not only the Tulfos. A review is done regularly. In the case of the Tulfos, it’s set for this week.]

The level of threat to the protectees are gauged to see if it remains very high or if there will be no more need for escorts, Banac said.

Banac denied that the recall of the police escorts was due to the recent controversy faced by Erwin, who berated Secretary Rolando Bautista of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for refusing to grant his request for a radio interview.

Bautista is a retired lieutenant general who was the commander of the Philippine Army.

His colleagues in the military slammed Erwin for berating him.

Arevalo said, however, that the recall of Ramon’s escorts had been scheduled as early as last year, even before Erwin’s outburst against Bautista.

“Due to the dearth of personnel, the Philippine Marine Corps has started recalling its Marines who were detailed outside the Corps as security detail,” Arevalo said in a statement.

“The Corps has sent correspondence to their respective principals since last year informing them of the order requiring the Marines to report back to Headquarters for consequent deployment,” Arevalo said.

(Editor: Alexander T. Magno)