Sara stripped of 75 security personnel

DAVAO, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte has been stripped of her Philippine National Police security personnel.

Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG) chief Col. Raymund Dante Lachica confirmed yesterday that 75 PNP personnel of the Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG) assigned to the VPSPG were relieved of duty without prior notice.

Duterte said PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil issued an order on Monday relieving all 75 PSPG personnel previously assigned for her protection.

“I confirm that on 22 July 2024, an Order was issued by the Chief of the Philippine National Police relieving all of the 75 PNP Police and Security Group personnel that were previously assigned for my protection,” she said in a statement.

Duterte appeared to have taken a swipe at Marbil, who also recently ordered a series of reassignments in the Davao City Police Office, angering the Vice President’s brother, Davao Mayor Sebastian Duterte.

“I do hope, however, that with this latest directive of the Chief PNP, we hear less cries from the people regarding the proliferation of drugs in the country, and that even fewer shall fall victim to various criminal activities,” the Vice President said.

Despite this, Duterte said the removal of PSPG personnel from her security detail will not hamper her work at the Office of the Vice President.

Those pulled out from Duterte’s security retinue included 33 close-in security personnel who had served her since her time as Davao mayor.

The move surprised local police security officials, as there was no justification given for the pullout.

Marbil said the move is part of their measures to put more personnel on the ground. He added that the PSPG policemen were transferred to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), the unit in charge of security in Metro Manila.

Lachica expressed concern at the sudden removal of security detail for Duterte, as it raises concerns about her safety and the reasons behind the decision.

However, he remained hopeful the VPSPG will still be intact and will not compromise the security of the Vice President once they will be totally integrated with the Presidential Security Command.

There were also reports of a security pullout for former president Rodrigo Duterte.

While it was still unclear how many security personnel remains on her detail, the Commission on Audit last year said 433 people served as part of Duterte’s VPSPG in 2022, a 455 percent increase from the 78 personnel under the OVP in 2021 or the last full term of then vice president Leni Robredo.

It was not specified in the audit report whether all of the 433 individuals in the VPSPG in 2022 were assigned by PNP or the Armed Forces of the Philippines or hired by the OVP.

The AFP announced in 2022 the activation of the VPSPG as a “dedicated unit” for the security and protection of Duterte and her family.

“What we are doing right now, especially in the NCR where we sorely lack the personnel, we pulled out people that they didn’t really need,” Marbil told reporters in an interview.

He cited the aftermath of President Marcos’ State of the Nation Address wherein several police officers who were part of the security contingent were not able to go to work yesterday due to exhaustion. — Neil Jayson Servallos, Emmanuel Tupas