The organization which recruited and installed Department of the Interior and Local Government undersecretary Martin Diño as a Coast Guard official is not being recognized by the Philippine Coast Guard.
PCG Public Affairs Office commander and spokesperson Armand Balilo said this on Tuesday following the controversial photo posted on social media showing Diño wearing a PCG Rear Admiral uniform.
The photo drew negative reactions from netizens while Diño came under attack in social media for improper wearing of the PCG’s rank and uniform.
“Notice is hereby given to the public that the Manila Yacht Cub 101st Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary Squadron is not recognized in any way by the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary Directorate,” said Balilo in a statement.
“That all of its activities to include recruitment of members are not sanctioned and will not be recognized by the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary,” he added.
Balilo said the agency is presently exerting efforts to correct “this malpractice and misrepresentation of a certain VADM Winefredo Villanueva using and operating under the name of the 101st PCG Auxiliary Squadron.”
Diño admitted that the MYC 101st PCG Auxiliary Squadron installed him as Real Admiral on Jan. 5. He also confirmed that Villanueva was the one leading the group.
Diño said he was recruited by one of the members of the Manila Squadron and installed as a Commodore during the time when he was still working for the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority then.
He said the Manila Squadron is one of the first PCG Auxiliaries in the Philippines, and is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Diño also denied collecting money from recruits and said he was only doing his job to encourage village watchmen to work for the Coast Guard in times of need, and in preparation for the event a magnitude 7.2 tremor hits Metro Manila.
But according to Balilo, the MYC squadron was not authorized and Usec. Diño is not a legitimate member of the PCG organization and hence not entitled to wear the PCGA uniform.
“The PCG under Republic Act 9993 (PCG Law of 2010) has the sole responsibility and authority over the PCG Auxiliary membership and activities. The PCG has the right to file formal complaint for usurpation of authority and other criminal laws that may be violated by the improper wearing of the organization’s rank and uniform.”
In an interview with ABS-CBN, Villnaueva said his group was established on March 10, 1973 and was not a bogus organization.
He said about eight years ago, documents of the 101st MYC Squadron were “stolen” by the current PCGA National Director Valentin Prieto, who he said was a former member of their group.
Villanueva admitted that he was the one who inducted Diño to the 101st Squadron on the evening of January 25 this year.
The PCG Auxiliary is a service-oriented, uniformed, voluntary non-government and non-political organization whose membership adhere to the Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) customs and traditions.
Its organizational structure is parallel to PCG and has its own chain of leadership and management.
The PCGA was established in 1972 through Republic Act No. 5173 initially for the purpose of assisting the Philippine Coast Guard in the conduct of search and rescue and safety of boats at sea.
The organization eventually expanded and now officially covered under Section 11 of Republic Act Number 9993, otherwise known as the PCG Law of 2009. Its primary functions include providing support and assistance to PCG in the promotion of safety of life and property at sea, the preservation of the marine environment and its resources, the conduct of maritime search and rescue, the maintenance of aids to navigation, recreational safety and such other activities that enhance maritime community relations which include civic action, participation under the National Service Training Program, youth development, and other related activities.
The PCGA is headed by the National Director (ND) assisted by two deputies, the Deputy National Director for Operations (DNDO) and the Deputy National Director for Administration (DNDA). It has Auxiliary Districts and Squadrons under every regular Coast Guard District in the archipelago. The PCGA has about 4000 Squadron members in 12 Districts located in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
The new Coast Guard law maintained the exercise of direct control and supervision of the PCGA by the Commandant, PCG and his duly designated representatives in supervising the over-all activities of the PCGA. Hence, the advent of RA 9993 legislated and further strengthened the bond between the PCG and the PCGA towards achieving a safe, clean and secure marine environment for the entire Filipino people.
