THE crackdown on unauthorized bodyguards ordered by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Rommel Francisco D. Marbil has netted over a dozen violators, the Journallearned.

PNP Civil Security Group director Major Gen. Edgar Alan O. Okubo said that two unauthorized Protection Agents (PAs) were apprehended and charged in court by the PNP Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies.

Okubo said he has instructed PNP-SOSIA director Colonel Marlou Roy V. Alzate to apprehend unauthorized PAs who are providing unauthorized escort services to private individuals.

Col. Alzate said that as a rule, PAs servicing both foreign and Filipino clients must have a License to Exercise Security Profession (LESP) being issued by the PNP-SOSIA.

They must also have an Authority to Deploy Protection Agent (ADPA) and Special Duty Detail Order (SDDO) being issued by the PSPG headed by Brigadier Gen. Rogelio P. Simon before they can serve a client.

Lack of any of the three requirements means a PA is engaged in an illegal protective business and thus could be charged for violation of RA 11917, the PNP-SOSIA director explained.

Red Teams from the PNP-SOSIA have been scouring casinos, hotels and other major establishments in Metro Manila and nearby regions in search of unauthorized PAs rendering security protection mostly to Chinese nationals, including those engaged in POGO or casino business.

In one incident, PNP-SOSIA officers also accosted two suspected unauthorized PAs outside a hotel in Pasay City who identified themselves as Philippine Army reservists.

Eight others, including another Army reservist and four bouncers suspected to be also engaged in the same illegal activity, were also accosted last June 9. The eight were said to be ‘securing’ a Malaysian national.

Three other men, two of them security guards and the 3rd a PA, were also accosted in Taguig, Makati and Pasay for the same offense last June 10.

Cases are still being build-up against the 13 by the PNP-CSG and the PNP-SOSIA as of press time.

Last June 11, the PNP-SOSIA filed charges for violation of Republic Act 11917 or the Private Security Services Industry Act against two illegally-deployed PAs and the operator of the Protective and Detective Security Agency where the two were found to be working.

Okubo said the two were apprehended amid their ongoing crackdown on illegal protection activities which started last May 31.

The two were found to be providing unauthorized protection services to a Filipino-Chinese operating a big business at 4th Street BGC.

The duo’s firearms were confiscated for verification purposes as the two were issued Violation Ticket Reports.

Their employer, identified as the VPADAI company, is now facing administrative and criminal charge for violating SOSIA and Police Security and Protection Group regulations.

Gen. Marbil has also ordered the recall of over 100 PSPG personnel formerly assigned to retired police generals and other VIPs, including some lawmakers and elected officials.