Palace rejects call to provide PSG for Marcos Jr; 'only for president, first family'
Acting Malacañang spokesman Martin Andanar has shrugged off the call to provide Presidential Security Group (PSG) protection for frontrunning presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
In his press briefing Tuesday, Andanar said that PSG "only serves the sitting president and the first family."
He made the remark after Quezon City mayoral aspirant Mike Defensor called on the Palace to provide PSG to Marcos Jr. as he believed the latter "does not have any personal protection extended by the government because he is not a current officeholder."
Defensor also cited the United States election procedures, where candidates are given secret service whether they hold a public office or not. He argued the Philippines must do the same.
"Now alam natin sa America, napapanod natin kung sino ang nananalo na kandidato ay nabibigyan ng kanilang secret service (We know that in the US, the winning candidates are given their own secret service)," Andanar said.
"But I'm not so familiar with how the protocols work under the PSG," he added.