After some people were amused to see President Rodrigo Duterte speaking behind a bullet-proof glass during a recent campaign rally in Malabon, here comes his spokesperson defending the somewhat over-the-top protection measure.
Salvador Panelo said in a statement released today to government television station PTV that Duterte has made so many enemies since he was elected in 2016 that it is necessary for his team to do everything to ensure his security.
According to the statement, despite being a “man of the masses” who likes making himself accessible to the public, Duterte is “bound by security protocols and, whether he likes it or not, these protocols are mandatorily attached to the position he holds.”
Panelo said that the Presidential Security Group (PSG), the Philippine version of the Secret Sevice, needs to provide the “highest level of security protocols” which includes that much-talked-about bullet-proof glass wall.
“Whether the threats are real or imagined, we take them seriously and the Palace commends the PSG for doing a good job,” Panelo’s statement read.
The PSG defended the use of the bullet-proof glass yesterday by saying that the Malabon campaign rally was held at an open area, which made Duterte vulnerable to attacks, reported ABS-CBN News.
Brigadier General Jose Eriel Niembra said that while the president “wanted to have close encounter and dialogues with the people, [the] PSG acknowledges the need to balance security and accessibility of the president,” reported Rappler.
But Duterte didn’t seem to take threats seriously. During the rally, he even went to the side of the glass — which he called a “picture frame” — to tap and check how thick it was.
He didn’t appear to care if someone shot him at the event. “I think life is just about luck. If it’s really my time, I can’t do anything about it,” Duterte said.
