New PSG chief: We’re up against threats never before experienced by other presidents

A former Army battalion commander on Wednesday assumed the leadership of the Presidential Security Group (PSG).

Colonel Jose Eriel Niembra took over the PSG leadership during the turnover ceremony witnessed by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Niembra succeeded Brigadier General Lope Dagoy who is now the commander of the Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade in Leyte.

"While I am deeply honored with this designation, I am fully aware of the responsibility on my shoulders. That I will be at the forefront of defending not only the President and the presidency but the aspirations of the entire Filipino nation as well," Niembra said in a speech at Malacañang Park.

He called for the "full cooperation" of PSG men and women as "we are up against threats that never before experienced by other Presidents of this Republic."

"Enemies of the state do not play by the rules. If you liken our situation to a basketball game, we can only dribble and pass the ball around but we cannot shoot simply because the enemy is faceless and all the time is hiding, just waiting for the time to strike," Niembra said. 

"On the other hand, our opponents can do everything, even shoot the ball from outside the court as they are not bounded by any of the laws. So the challenge is obvious: how to win such a game. We cannot be one step behind because it only takes a blink of an eye for undesirable things to happen."

"As our President often says, 'if anything can go wrong, it will [be] at the most unexpected moment,'" Niembra said.

Duterte, in response, said ensuring his safety would be tantamount to "protecting the nation."

"When you protect me and you believe in my advocacy you are protecting the nation, not me. My life is just like an ordinary Filipino. If it's my time today, tonight, tomorrow so be it," he said.

A member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1991, Niembra was part of the Army-led Task Force Davao when Duterte was still mayor. He served the task force for about six years starting in 2004 when he became the unit's executive officer and later on deputy commander.

After his stint with the task force, he went on schooling and then became the commander of the Army's 58th Infantry Battalion based in Misamis Oriental.

Niembra, who was re-assigned to the PSG after Duterte assumed the presidency in 2016, is the third PSG commander under Duterte after Army chief Lieutenant General Rolando Bautista and Dagoy. — RSJ/BM, GMA News