VICE President Sara Duterte yesterday unleashed a mouthful against PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil, saying the removal of her police security detail last week is “a clear case of political harassment.”
Marbil’s office, as of press time yesterday, has not released a statement.
Duterte, in a lengthy open letter, lambasted Marbil, saying the relief of her security escorts “was obviously a targeted list and a targeted maneuver – nothing else.”
“Let us spare our people from all the lies. Let us call it what it is – a clear case of political harassment,” she said, stressing that the pullout of the police escorts came after she resigned as education secretary last month, compared President Marcos Jr.’s latest State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) to a “catastrophic event,” and after the release of a video supposedly showing Marcos using illegal drugs.
Duterte last week said 75 policemen from the “PNP Police and Security Group” assigned to her were relieved and ordered to report to the PNP-National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).
Reacting to Duterte’s announcement, Marbil last week said the recall of the policemen who are from the Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG) was coordinated with the office of the Vice President (OVP).
Duterte yesterday told Marbil to always tell the truth.
“At laging tandaan – para hindi magkabuhol-buhol ang kwento mo, laging magsasabi ng totoo (And always remember – so that you stories will not be incoherent – always tell the truth),” she said.
POLITICAL ISSUES
The Vice President said the political motive behind the relief of her police escorts is obvious because it included officers who have her trust and confidence because they were either part of her security team since 2007 or her father former president Rodrigo Duterte’s.
She said that while she has already made it clear that reduction in the number of her security escorts will not prevent her from performing her duties and responsibilities, she could not stay silent amid the lies allegedly being spread about her, “especially when these lies come from the highest official of the national police.”
“I wanted this issue to be put to rest because the country has a lot of problems that are more important than my own protection. However, it seems that you’ve already had three interviews about me. On the other hand, I also understand where you’re coming from because it’s only natural for liars to tell different stories and reasons. But I cannot tolerate this continuous deceit of the people,” she said in Filipino.
The Vice President has said she and the President are “still friendly with each other on a personal level” despite her decision to leave the UniTeam, the ticket under which she ran with President Marcos Jr. in the 2022 elections.
Before her resignation, the elder Duterte attacked the administration over various issues, including moves to amend the Constitution, and Congress’ decision to strip the Office of the President (OVP) of its confidential and intelligence funds which lawmakers realigned to agencies at the forefront of protecting the country’s territorial integrity in the West Philippine Sea, like the Philippine Coast Guard.
The Vice President told Marbil that the Vice Presidential Protection Division (VPPD), which was placed under the PSPG by the National Police Commission, “was intentionally created so people like you (Marbil) will not meddle in my security and those of future vice presidents.”
She further assailed Marbil for saying that local police also augment her security every time she visits provinces, saying the VPPD was created so that the work of local police will not be disturbed.
The younger Duterte belied Marbil’s claim that the PNP “requested” a “possible pullout” of our 75 personnel because we really need our personnel on the ground in the National Capital Region, and they agreed.”
“Hindi na kami nakipagtalo dahil ikaw naman ang batas ‘di ba? Kasunod nito ay lumabas na ang relief orders sa utos mo. Ito ay base na rin sa dokumento ng PNP (We didn’t argue because you [Marbil] are the law, right? After this, your relief orders came out. It’s also based on PNP documents,” she said.
THREAT
The Vice President also laughed off Marbil’s claim that the PNP does not see any threat against her while at the same time saying that the PNP can still add more security personnel if the OVP will request it.
She reminded Marbil that a video of her and her family was leaked on social media while they were waiting for a flight to Germany last week, which, she said, was proof of a security breach.
“Wasn’t there a malicious video footage taken when I was at the NAIA? It was taken from a place where only select airport employees and people were present. Never mind me but that video made public showed publicized my husband and our children who are minors, which became a huge threat to their security,” she said.
On top of it, she said, some policemen conducted “casing” at her address to determine which house she is renting.
“It’s the same house where my children live. It if it wasn’t stopped by the good officials of the homeowners’ association, I don’t know what could have happened,” she said.
She asked Marbil what “threat” means to him.
|Does a threat only come from external elements? Isn’t it a threat if the harassment from the government personnel?” she said.
INCONSISTENCIES
The Vice President pointed out inconsistencies in Marbil’s statements, saying the PNP chief was too quick to say that there was no threat to her while at the same time saying she can still request additional security personnel.
“Kung talagang wala kang nakikitang banta laban sakin, bakit nagtira ka pa ng 45 na tauhan ng PNP na ikaw ang pumili? (If there was really no threat against me, why did you leave 45 PNP personnel which you hand-picked?),” she said. “Tandaan mo, pagdating sa seguridad ng aking pamilya, ako ang magsasabi kung sino ang karapat-dapat, hindi ikaw.
Batas ka lang, hindi ka Diyos (Remember that when it comes to the security of my family, I’ll say who is qualified, not you. You’re just the law, you’re not God).”
The Vice President also dismissed Marbil’s claim that “the relief was for police visibility,” saying the reduction of her police escorts will not make a dent in the glaring shortage in the number of police officers in Metro Manila.
She said if the PNP can place her security in jeopardy, the harassment that ordinary people can be subjected to is worrisome. She cited the alleged intimidation by civilians who were protesting the serving of a warrant of arrest against Apollo Quiboloy in Davao City recently.
