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| Presidential Security Command | |
|---|---|
 PSC seal | |
| Active | June 23, 1898–present |
| Country |  Philippines |
| Branch | Army,Navy,Air Force,Marines,Coast Guard, andPolice |
| Role |
|
| Size | 1Brigade/Regiment, 3Battalions. Total is 4000+ soldiers, police, coast guard and civilian personnel |
| Part of | Armed Forces of the Philippines |
| Garrison/HQ | Malacañang Park,Malacañang Palace, Manila |
| Nicknames | PSC,The President's Guards,Presidential Guards,Filipino Secret Service,Men in Barong,PSG Troopers |
| Mottos | Integrity, Service, Excellence |
| Mascot | Eagle |
| Anniversaries | June 23 |
| Decorations | Presidential Streamer Award,Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Badge |
| Website | Official website |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | BGen. Peter B. Burgonio,PA |
| Notable commanders |
|
| Insignia | |
| Unit Patch | PSG Badge |
ThePresidential Security Command (PSC),[1] known from 1986 to 2024 as thePresidential Security Group (PSG), is a Philippine close protection agency.[Note 1][2] It is the primary agency concerned with providing close-in security and escort to thePresident of the Philippines, their immediate families, former presidents of the Philippines as well as visiting heads of state.
The PSC is stationed atMalacañang Palace, the official residence of the president. Members of the PSC also accompany the president on both domestic and overseas trips.
On June 23, 1898, a guards unit called as theCuerpo de la Guardia Presidencial (Presidential Guard Corps) was raised at the time to protect the first official president,Emilio Aguinaldo, from attempts on his life. Composed of a presidential cavalry squadron and artillery batteries, reinforced with multiple guards infantry battalions all under the command of Major Geronimo Gatmaitan, which provided the protection of President Aguinaldo and his family.[3] Like today's PSC, they worerayadillo uniforms, but with straw hats.
In 1936, the 1st Cavalry Regiment of the1st Infantry Division,Philippine Army, raised the same year, was tasked with defending PresidentManuel Quezon, his family, and the palace complex. On May 22, 1938, they were joined by theMalacañang Guard, made up of a company organized into two to three platoons with a little over a hundred members, to reinforce the President's security. In February 1939, the Malacañang Guard was transferred to thePhilippine Constabulary.
During theSecond World War, the Presidential Guards were combined with the Philippine Constabulary and Manila ROTC units to form the newSecond Regular Division which fought inBataan. After the inauguration of the Second Philippine Republic, units of the occupyingImperial Japanese Army initially took over guard duties at the palace, only to be replaced by an all-Filipino guard battalion at the insistence of PresidentJosé P. Laurel. During theBattle of Manila in 1945, Presidential Guardsmen remained at their posts in Malacañang. At war's end, it was in turn replaced by theAFP Presidential Guards Battalion under the orders of PresidentSergio Osmeña and would remain until the time of his successor, Manuel Roxas.
The PSG of today traces its origins to 1950 when PresidentElpidio Quirino transferred the Presidential Guards Battalion under the control of thePhilippine Constabulary (PC) in 1950.[4] At the same time, a separate presidential security unit was founded as the secret service and protective unit of the state presidency, the First Family, andMalacañang Palace, under the control of the Constabulary (first theSecret Service of Malacañang Palace then later renamed into thePresidential Security Force, thePresidential Security Unit, and then thePresidential Security Agency). On October 22, 1971, under the Presidency ofFerdinand Marcos, General Order No. 212 GHQ, AFP was issued, creating thePresidential Security Command (PSC) as a unified command of the AFP.[5]
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When PresidentCorazon Aquino was sworn in as president, she gave the order to disband the PSC and replace with "a leaner"Presidential Security Group (PSG), with then-Army Colonel (and futureSecretary of National Defense)Voltaire Gazmin as its chief.[6] This was formalized by General Order No. 60, GHQ-New Armed Forces of the Philippines (NAFP), which deactivated the PSC and activated the PSG as one of the support units of the NAFP.[5] The PSG, then as in the present, has always included both civilian agents and seconded servicemen from the Armed Forces.
The PSG launched the PSG Troopers website on February 10, 2017, as part of an effort to improve public relations.[7] Information concerning the president's security arrangements are considered as classified.[7]
Four PSG officers were wounded in an encounter withNew People's Army guerillas inArakan,North Cotabato after they were spotted running a fake vehicle checkpoint.[8]
On September 26, 2017, a PSG officer was found dead inside the Malacañang complex with a gunshot wound to the chest.[9]
In January 2024, theDepartment of National Defense officially disclosed that the Presidential Security Group (PSG) was expanded from a group to a command, now officially known again as thePresidential Security Command (PSC), restoring the setup of the organization during the time of PresidentFerdinand Marcos, late father and namesake of the current President,Bongbong Marcos.[1] The term PSC was earlier utilized on January 19 when the agency's Commander, MGen. Nelson Morales, issued a statement reacting to criticisms on Marcos’ use of the presidential helicopter to travel to thePhilippine Arena in Bulacan to watch the Coldplay concert.[10]
In July 2024, the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG), a separate unit activated in 2022 that was responsible for the security of Vice PresidentSara Duterte, was revealed to have been integrated into the reorganized Command after the elevation of the 75 personnel of the Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG) assigned to the VPSPG were transferred to theNational Capital Region Police Office.[11]
The role of the PSC is tasked with:[12]
The Presidential Security Command also have other functions, such as providing support to other government agencies. They assist the AFP andPNP in its anti-organized-crime and corruption undertakings as well as maintaining public order and safety, usually authorized by theOffice of the President. They also conduct community service efforts in local communities, and maintain and secure all facilities and transportation assets used by the offices of the president and vice president in doing its regular and non-regular functions.[13] The role of securing the Vice President and it’s immediate family is under the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG).
The following are organized under the PSC (formerly the PSG) as of 2023:[14][15]
Agents are usually personnel from theArmed Forces of the Philippines,Philippine National Police andPhilippine Coast Guard. However, there are a few civilian personnel acting as support units.
Military and police personnel serving in the PSC retain the ranks and insignia of their parent service which are worn in almost all orders of dress.
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PSC members are known to carry assorted firearms, some known firearms include:
The PSC utilizesMotorola trunkedtwo-way radios withencryption capability.[17]
The PSC currently uses a fleet of vehicles, ranging from motorcycles; armored modified sedans andmid-sized vehicles; andarmored personnel carriers.
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| Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) |
|
|---|---|
| Leadership | |
| Army | Reserve Command (RESCOM) |
| Air Force | |
| Navy | |
| Coast Guard | |
| Wars and conflicts | |
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