The services of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) are exclusive to President Rodrigo Duterte and the first family, Malacañang said on Tuesday in response to a proposal that seeks to give presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. PSG protection.
“The [PSG] provides security for the president and the First Family only,” acting Palace spokesman Martin Andanar said in a virtual presser.
“Now, alam natin na sa Amerika, napapanood natin na kung sino iyong mga nananalo na kandidato ay nabibigyan ng kanilang secret service. But I am not so familiar with how the protocols work under the PSG. But, from what we know, the PSG only serves the sitting president and the first family,” he added.
Anakalusugan Rep. Michael Defensor recently made the call to give Marcos PSG protection, claiming the son of the late dictator was the lone presidential candidate without protection from the state as he did not have a government post.
Four other presidential candidates—Leody de Guzman, Norberto Gonzales, Faisal Mangondato and Jose Montemayor Jr.—are not holding government seats.
Marcos lost to his fellow presidential candidate Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo in the 2016 elections and has not held a government post since.
Marcos leads the presidential race by a fairly wide margin, according to several pre-election surveys. John Ezekiel J. Hirro