MANILA- Malacañang on Tuesday said it is not possible for government to provide security to presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. through the Presidential Security Group (PSG), as he is not a sitting president or even a member of the first family.

"The [PSG] provides security to the president and the first family only," acting Palace spokesperson Martin Andanar said in a press briefing.

Party-list lawmaker Mike Defensor, who is running as Quezon City mayor under Marcos Jr's UniTeam, over the weekend said the Palace should "consider" giving PSG detail to the late dictator's son because he is the "only" presidential candidate who "does not have any personal protection extended by the government."

Norberto Gonzales, a former defense chief, businessman Faisal Mangondato, and doctor-lawyer Jose Montemayor Jr., are also not sitting government officials.

“In America, all presidential and vice-presidential candidates – whether they are current officeholders or not – are automatically safeguarded by the US Secret Service, the same agency defending their sitting president," claimed Defensor.

But Andanar said this may not be the case in the country.

"Alam natin na sa Amerika napapanood natin na kung sino ang nananalo na kandidato ay nabibigyan ng kanilang secret service, I am not so familiar in how the protocols work under the PSG, but from what we know, the PSG only serves the sitting president and the first family," he added.

(We all know that in America, we have watched that those candidates who won [the elections] will get their secret service, but I am not familiar with the protocols under PSG.)

The Marcos camp has claimed several threats against Bongbong's life.

Earlier this month, Quezon City prosecutors have recommended the filing of a criminal case against a food delivery rider who allegedly posted a threatening tweet against Marcos Jr.

Bongbong is leading the presidential race, following years of the Marcos family's move to rebuild its image, which was tainted by human rights violations during the dictatorship of their patriarch Ferdinand Marcos.

• WATCH: Life under Marcos, a fact-check

The government has recovered P174 billion in Marcos ill-gotten wealth, according to the Presidential Commission on Good Government.

The family denies any wrongdoing. Matriarch Imelda has been found guilty of several counts of graft in lower courts, but has won most of her appeals in higher courts. None of the members of the former first family has been imprisoned.

In 1986, the Marcos family fled the country

• READ: Why the recovery of Marcos 'ill-gotten wealth' has taken ages

Video from PTV