The Philippine National Police (PNP) has been asked by Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales for more close-in security personnel, fueling speculation that his life is under serious threat for his crusade against illegal smuggling.

Morales wrote PNP director general Jesus Verzosa to request for the detail of four police officers namely SPO2 Gabriel Dulam, PO2 Arnulfo Vilar, PO2 Jonathan Secreto, and PO1 Rule Liwanag as his new security escorts.

"This request is urgent in view of the continuing threat to my life due to the sensitivity of the post that I presently occupy,” the letter read.

Since Morales took charge of the BoC, his life has been under alleged constant threat because of his no-nonsense campaign against smuggling and corruption in the agency.

“I have encountered such threat in the past. There is nothing new to this,” Morales said in an interview.

However, he clarified that his previous security escorts had been recalled by the PNP to their mother unit that is why they have to be replaced.

In a separate interview, a close aide of Morales said they have beefed up security for their boss based on intelligence reports that he is target of a gun running syndicate with ties to an international crime group.

Morales’ assistant, under the condition of anonymity, referred to this group as the one allegedly involved in the illegal smuggling arms cache seized in Mariveles, Bataan, last month.

He also said that the alleged plot against him stemmed from other recent operations of BoC involving the 1.8 million liters of diesel and other petroleum products of BSJ Fishing and Trading, Inc. seized during a raid in Navotas.

BSJ is owned by fishing magnate Lope Jimenez, who is accused behind the murder of his nephew’s estranged wife, Ruby Rose Barrameda-Jimenez.