THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, that it has not monitored any imminent threat against the life of Vice President Sara Duterte.
In a press conference, AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said they are taking the stand of Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Rommel Marbil that there is no threat against Duterte “as of the moment.”
She said around 400 AFP personnel are currently assigned to the Vice President Security and Protection Group (VPSPG), which is now under the Presidential Security Commission (PSC).
The PSC is in-charge of the security of the chief executive.
“Suffice to say that that would be enough because if need be, for example, may engagement like sa rally, magrerequest lang din sila and if hindi kaya suportahan ng PSC, may augmentation. ‘Yung PNP in the area will coordinate prior to the local security in the area the PNP will also augment and local barangay officials puwede din,” said Padilla.
“Actually, mas maganda nga yon kasi there will have more resources kasi ‘yung resources ng PSC and skills set ng PSC can also be part now of her security detail,” she added.
Padilla said these AFP personnel under the VPSPG can also be detailed for the security of Duterte’s family.
Earlier, Duterte cried of “political harassment” after the PNP recalled 75 of her police security details, including those she trusted the most.
Duterte said her concern is not herself but her family, especially her mother, husband and four children.
“Ano ba ang ibig sabihin ng ‘threat’ sa iyo? Ang banta ba ay maaari lamang magmula sa mga external elements? Hindi na ba ‘threat’ kung ang harassment ay nanggagaling mismo sa mga tauhan ng gobyerno?” Duterte said in an open letter to Marbil, noting that several PNP personnel were conducting casing operations against her.
(What does 'threat' mean to you? Can the threat only come from external elements? Isn't it a 'threat' if the harassment comes from government personnel?)
“Kung talagang wala kang nakikitang banta laban sakin, bakit nagtira ka pa ng 45 na tauhan ng PNP na ikaw ang pumili?... Tandaan mo, pagdating sa seguridad ng aking pamilya, ako ang magsasabi kung sino ang karapat-dapat, hindi ikaw. Batas ka lang, hindi ka Diyos,” she added.
(If you really see no threat against me, why did you leave 45 PNP personnel that you chose?... Remember, when it comes to the security of my family, I will say who is worthy, not you. You are just the law, you are not God.)
In a Senate hearing on Monday, August 5, Marbil said he will give Duterte back her trusted police security detail upon the direction of former chief PNP Senator Ronald dela Rosa. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)