MANILA — Being a member of the opposition has nothing to do with the recall of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV’s two military security escorts, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Col. Edgard Arevalo said late Sunday.
He also clarified that the detail of all military personnel as security escorts of authorized VIPs has a permanent duration.
“Therefore, security escorts whose tours of duty have lapsed and has not been renewed were recalled to the General Headquarters for accounting. And there are no exceptions to that policy,” Arevalo added.
“This has nothing to do with his being an opposition senator. The same policy applies to everybody falling on the same situation as the good senator,” he emphasized.
Also, affected VIPs or principals can file a new request to the Secretary of National Defense regarding the reassignment of their escorts.
“Upon grant of such request by the Secretary of National Defense, subject military personnel shall continue performing their duties as security escorts,” the AFP spokesperson stressed.
In the case of Trillanes, Arevalo said the senator’s security escorts were temporarily recalled last July 12 to report to AFP headquarters for accounting purposes only because their tour of duty has lapsed.
“His security detail will be restored upon approval of such request. The same policy applies to everybody falling on the same situation as the good senator,” the AFP official stressed. (Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)