Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel (Facebook)

A veteran congressman from Mindanao is prodding President Marcos to tap the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) to help civilian law enforcement in gathering actionable information against kidnapping syndicates.

"The President may lawfully deploy ISAFP, as well as the intelligence units of the Army, Air Force, and Navy, to assist the Philippine National Police (PNP) in countering kidnapping groups – particularly when their activities pose threats to public safety or national security,” Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel said in a statement Sunday, April 20.

Citing the 1987 Constitution, Pimentel emphasized that the President, as commander-in-chief, holds broad authority to direct military operations, including intelligence activities, in matters concerning internal security and public order.

“This constitutional power enables the President to utilize military intelligence in support of the police, especially in cases involving grave threats like kidnapping gangs that may have links to transnational crime,” said the National Unity Party (NUP) stalwart.  

The recent abduction and brutal killing of Filipino-Chinese steel executive Anson Que, also known as Anson Tan; and his driver, Armanie Pabillo, has sparked public outrage.

The kidnap-for-ransom (KFR) incident prompted large business groups to call for swift justice and immediate reforms to improve public safety.

Que and Pabillo were last seen on March 29 after departing Elison Steel’s office in Valenzuela City. Their bodies were found on April 9, dumped along a roadside in Barangay Macabud, Rodriguez, Rizal.

Three suspects--Ricardo Austria David, Raymart Catequista, and David Tan Liao--are now in police custody.

While the PNP remains the lead agency in maintaining internal peace and order, Pimentel stressed that military intelligence can be activated when broader security concerns are at stake.

“Military assistance to civil authorities is a well-established component of internal security operations,” according to Pimentel, a senior member of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety.

He added that there are existing legal frameworks and protocols to enable joint police-military efforts in confronting serious threats.