PNP goes after army reservists doing illegal security activities
THE ongoing hunt for Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy has also resulted in the discovery of the presence of many Philippine Army reservists who have been serving as security guards or Protective Agents of moneyed personalities in the country without any authority from the Philippine National Police.
While writing this piece, I was told by many highly-reliable PNP sources that the records of the security guards guarding the compound of Quiboloy in Davao City are already being checked by the PNP Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies for some possible violations.
Officials who were involved in the botched operation to get Quiboloy two Mondays ago said they discovered the presence of Army reservists-turned ‘security guards’ guarding the properties of the self-proclaimed ‘Son of God.’
A big tarpaulin with the words, Welcome Headquarters 2nd (MD) Signal Battalion SMNI PAARU can be seen at the entrance of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound located along the Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway in Sasa, Davao City.
The welcome tarpaulin says that the unit is under the 105th Community Defense Center of the Army’s Reserve Command’s 11th Regional Community Defense Group. The welcome sign actually greets anybody passing by or entering the Quiboloy compound.
The guards were found to be working for the Kingstrooper Security Agency headed by a member of the Army’s Reserve Command with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and the designation of Battalion Commander/Division Signal Officer.
One official involved in the June 10 operation told me that presence of Army reservists serving as private bodyguards of local politicians is now a problem.
“They are carrying guns even without licenses and identifying themselves as real Army soldiers. The problem is real and will pose a threat to the effort of the PNP to ensure a safe and orderly 2025 mid-term election, my source told me.
He said that while PNP chief, General Rommel Marbil has declared a crackdown on ‘moonlighting cops’ including those providing unauthorized security protection to VIPs including politicians, they also need to get the full cooperation of their Army counterparts in going after Army Reservists who are identifying themselves as regular Army soldiers while acting as unauthorized security personnel to their clients.
On Tuesday, I learned that two unauthorized Protection Agents (PAs) in the country were apprehended and charged in court by the PNP -SOSIA in line with the ongoing crackdown against illegal bodyguards ordered by Gen. Marbil.
PNP Civil Security Group director, Major Gen. Edgar Alan Okubo said this is part of the crackdown on illegally-deployed Protection Agents in Metro Manila and other parts of the country ordered by the PNP chief.
Since last month, Red Teams from the PNP-SOSIA headed by Colonel Marlou Roy Alzate have been scouring casinos, hotels and other major establishments in Metro Manila and its nearby regions in search of unauthorized Protective Agents rendering security protection to foreigners, mostly Chinese nationals involved in POGO or casino business.
In one incident early this month, PNP-SOSIA officers also accosted two suspected unauthorized Protective Agents outside a hotel in Pasay City who identified themselves as Philippine Army reservists.
Last June 9, another eight men including an Army reservist ‘securing’ a wealthy Malaysian national were also accosted for the same violation. Cases are still being build-up against the accused by the PNP-CSG and the PNP-SOSIA as of press time.
So far, two of the apprehended unauthorized Protective Agents acting as bodyguards for a Filipino-Chinese businessman as well as their employer have been charged for violation of Republic Act 11917 or the Private Security Services Industry Act by the PNP-SOSIA.
The two were accosted inside the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City last June 3 and taken to the BGC Sub-Station 1 of the Taguig City Police Station for verification and documentation. Seized from the two were two semi-automatic pistols with five magazines containing 35 rounds of live ammunition.
The offenders are facing administrative and criminal charges too for violating SOSIA and Police Security and Protection Group regulations. I learned that as a rule, Protective Agents servicing both foreign and Filipino clients must have a License to Exercise Security Profession or LESP being issued by the PNP-SOSIA.
They must also have an Authority to Deploy Protection Agent or ADPA and Special Duty Detail Order or SDDO being issued by the PSPG headed by Brigadier Gen. Roger Simon before they can serve a client.
Lack of any of the three requirements means a Protective Agent is engaged in an illegal protective business and thus could be charged for violation of RA 11917.
