The Marines are back to reinforce and secure the Senate of the Philippines, the workplace of the country’s 24 elected senators. The Senate holds its offices in the six-storey building owned by GSIS in Pasay City.
Starting Tuesday, the Philippine Marines Security will be deployed at the Senate lobby, security outposts, parking area and the entire Senate compound.
The marines replaced the security unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP), which will occupy the outside of the Senate compound. However, personnel from the Office of the Sergeant- At-Arms (OSAA) will secure the inside of the Senate.
Retired Gen. Roberto Ancan, head of OSAA, said the return of the Marines was based on a directive by Senate President Francis Escudero to reinforce the Senate’s security. Accordingly, he coordinated with the Department of National Defense, Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine Marines.
Ancan dismissed any threat to the Senate. He also said the return of the Marines was not due to the ongoing Senate POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) hearing, especially since Shiela Guo—one of the suspects linked to this illegal activity—is being held in the Senate detention facility.
Detained megachurch leader Apollo Quiboloy is also set to appear in a Senate hearing.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who has been co-leading the Senate probe into the illegal POGO operations, earlier said he received death threats during the height of their congressional inquiry.
Dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, who was also being investigated by the senators due to her links to POGO illegal activities, also claimed she was getting death threats.
In previous Senate hearings on the alleged criminal offenses committed by Quiboloy against his members at the Kingdom Of Jesus Christ (KOJC), some of his followers stormed the gates of the Senate.
The Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality, chaired by Senator Risa Hontiveros has been presiding over the upper chamber’s investigation on POGO and Quiboloy.
