AN administration lawmaker yesterday told Vice President Sara Duterte to stop politicizing the PNP’s order recalling 75 of her police escorts just to divert public attention from her move last week to leave the country while it was being battered by typhoon “Carina.”
Manila Rep. Joel Chua said Duterte, who was reported to have as many as 433 security escorts back in 2021, knows very well that not all of her police escorts were recalled by the PNP leadership, which she earlier accused of “political harassment.”
Chua dismissed the Vice President’s claim, saying the second highest elected official of the land could very well be trying to divert public attention away from her absence at a critical time when the public badly needed her.
“On the contrary, I don’t see a political motive on the part of the PNP. She could be trying to divert the issue because if you’ll recall, she spoke about this when the issue about her flight to Germany at the peak of the typhoon came out),” Chua told a press conference.
Duterte drew flak after she and her family flew to Germany last week while Carina was causing massive floods in Metro Manila and other areas.
In a lengthy open letter last Monday, Duterte lambasted PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil, saying the relief of her security escorts “was obviously a targeted list and a targeted maneuver – nothing else.”
The Vice President also accused Marbil of endangering the lives of her family, reminding him that a video of her and her family was leaked on social media while they were waiting for a flight to Germany, which she said was proof of a security breach.
She said last week that 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) but Marbil said the Vice President still has 31 police officers assigned to her as security escorts.
Chua said the Vice President has to respect the PNP’s decision because there is really a shortage in the number of police officers in the country, the reason the 75 security escorts were recalled and deployed to other assignments.
“She still has 31 security escorts detailed to her. We can question the PNP move if the security was totally removed,” Chua said in mixed Filipino and English. He added Duterte is the “most secured Vice President in history” because she is only one who had more than 400 security escorts.
The administration lawmaker said Duterte should not ascribe political motives to the PNP’s decision.
Senior deputy speaker Aurelio Gonzales said even congressmen sometimes have only two security escorts with them, when the PNP needs to pull out some of its personnel.
San Jose del Monte Rep. Rida Robes slammed Duterte for her “childish tantrums,” saying it was nothing but “theatrics” to hide the fact that she had more bodyguards than all former Vice Presidents combined.
Robes also questioned the Vice President’s insistence on having a “layer and layer of security blanket, to move around surrounded by a phalanx of guards.”
“Volume is what distinguishes a protective detail from a private army, and her insistence to have a battalion of guards betrays her real motive,” she said. “Some VPs had a protective detail that can fit in van. Hers would need three Airbus planes filled to the rafters.”
‘PROTECT MY FAMILY’
In a statement, the Vice President asked for protection for her family after her allies in the Senate — Ronald dela Rosa, Christopher “Bong” Go and Robin Padilla — asked for volunteer supporters to protect Duterte.
The Presidential Security Command committed to ensure the security and safety of the Vice President.
“The PSC remains to be a professional and mission-oriented AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) unit committed to accomplishing its new task of securing the Vice President. We will accomplish that mission,” PSC commander Maj. Gen. Nelson Morales said.
The VPSPG was transferred to the PSC following the reorganization of the Presidential Security Group (PSG).
The VPSPG was activated in June 2022 to provide a dedicated unit to ensure the safety and security of the vice president.
Duterte earlier said police members of her security team were pulled out after the VPSPG were transferred to the PSC.
Go said the PNP has also stripped him of security escorts which he said happened days before Vice President Sara Duterte police escorts were pulled out.
In a radio interview on Monday, Go said the PNP should maintain professionalism and integrity .
Go first posted on his Facebook account on Monday a cryptic message titled “VP Inday Sara, hindi ka nag-iisa!” which outlined his sentiments on the withdrawal of Duterte’s police escorts.
“As vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Order and a citizen of this nation, I am deeply concerned about recent incidents involving our Philippine National Police. Sa mga panahon na maraming pagsubok na nangyayari sa ating bansa, ipinapaalala natin sa liderato at sa buong hanay ng Pambansang Pulisya na manatiling tapat sa kanilang sinumpaang tungkulin at huwag magpagamit sa anumang political na agenda (In these times that we are faced with a lot of challenges, I am reminding the PNP leadership and its men to remain loyal to your sworn duties and do not allow yourselves to be used for any political agenda),” Go said.
He said that just like his reminder to the Department of Social Welfare in giving out assistance, the PNP must also not be “selective.” — With Raymond Africa and Jocelyn Montemayor
