Terminal paranoia

“In his paranoia, Trillanes believes that he is being set up for a possible hit.

Manufacturing ghosts is the expertise of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and now he seems to be running away from such apparitions.

Trillanes was wailing all over media last Saturday complaining that his security escorts were pulled out by both the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Fores of the Philippines (AFP).

He said all that he has now are “Magdalo soldiers” to look after his safety.

His statement immediately drew the necessary question: How many escorts does Trillanes need that it would take the AFP, the PNP and his own Magdalo rebels to make him feel secure?

Based on Trillanes’ count, he has eight in his security detail which can be quite a conservative estimate since he moves around in a convoy that rivals even that of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The law provides that he can only have a maximum of four escorts as a senator.

PNP spokesperson Senior Supt. Benigno Durana, spokesman for the PNP, said Trillanes still had six bodyguards even without the two police officers.

Two of Trillanes’ escorts were from the Special Detail Unit of the AFP, another two from the Philippine Navy and two more from the Senate Security Bureau.

Durana said under the Alunan doctrine the PNP follows, government officials are allowed only two bodyguards.

While denying that it has anything to do with the removal of the police escorts, the Palace said Trillanes has one too many security personnel.

Considering that Mr. Duterte had ordered the judicious use of public funds, Trillanes should be given only escorts provided by law and not to assuage his growing paranoia.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said police officers could be of better use in fighting crime rather than soothing Trillanes’ unfounded fears.

While nobody asked about it, he told an audience in a public forum at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City that his supporters should not worry about his safety.

“I know how to take care of myself. I’m OK at the least. I know God has a plan,” the senator said.

“Police officers could be of better use in fighting crime.

He added he is a fatalist and that he does not care about the government withdrawing his escorts.

Trillanes sure was not complaining since he was on television and radio the whole day Saturday about his allegations the government had removed his security personnel.

While he was at it complaining, he was also pleading for the PNP and AFP to reconsider their decision to pull out his bodyguards.

The recall of PNP security personnel assigned to politicians has, however, started last January.

The PNP had said politicians who fear for their safety can hire private agents from accredited security agencies, but such requests will have to be processed with the PNP.

Trillanes apparently is breaking cold sweats over the loss of his escorts due to the scenarios he has been creating, including ascribing to Rody the recent spate of killings of local officials.

In his paranoia, Trillanes believes that he is being set up for a possible hit, which is a fear that Rody even fed during a Cebu City speech earlier, claiming that somebody might be tempted to shoot his arch critic due to his arrogance.

That speech, of course, is mere banter from the President to his audience for which he had been known.

All the pretensions of courage by Trillanes have been stripped away while he exposed his dread of being left open with the removal of his excess security.

Trillanes is becoming the pathetic victim of the same ghosts he is conjuring to frighten the overwhelming people who still give their trust in Rody.