President Marcos reorganizes NSC, drops VP, ex-presidents

‘VP not relevant to NSC’

MANILA, Philippines — The vice president and past presidents of the country are no longer part of the National Security Council, under a new executive order issued by President Marcos to ensure that the NSC could “adapt to evolving challenges.”

Executive Order 81, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Dec. 30, reorganized the NSC. Bersamin said EO 81 aims to “streamline” NSC membership.

“At the moment, the VP is not considered relevant to the responsibilities of membership in the NSC,” he said. “Nonetheless, when the need arises, the EO reserves to the President the power to add members or advisers.”

The NSC is now composed of the following: the President as chairperson, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Senate president pro-tempore, three deputy speakers to be designated by the Speaker, and the majority and minority floor leaders of the Senate and the House.

Also included are the chairpersons of the Senate committees on foreign relations, national defense and security, peace, unification and reconciliation as well as the committee on public order and dangerous drugs.

Other NSC members are the chairpersons of the House committees on foreign affairs, national defense and security as well as public order and safety; the executive secretary; national security adviser; the secretaries of foreign affairs, justice, national defense, the interior and local government, and labor and employment; the chief presidential legal counsel, the secretary of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), the head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office and “such other government officials and private citizens as the President may appoint or designate from time to time.”

Under EO 81, the director general of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency as well as the chiefs of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police and National Bureau of Investigation shall attend the NSC meetings as may be necessary to advise and assist in its deliberations.

The governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas may also be invited to participate in the NSC.

The EO also reorganized the executive committee of the NSC. It is now composed of the President as chairperson; executive secretary; Senate President or his representative; House Speaker or his representative; national security adviser; secretaries of foreign affairs, justice, defense, interior and local government, and “such other members or advisers as the President may designate from time to time.”

Marcos cited “the need to further guarantee that the NSC remains a resilient national security institution, capable of adapting to evolving challenges and opportunities both domestically and internationally.”

He also cited the need “to ensure that its council members uphold and protect national security and sovereignty, thereby fostering an environment conducive to effective governance and stability.”

The reorganization of the NSC came amid the worsening rift between Marcos and his former ally, Vice President Sara Duterte.

Created during the Quirino administration through EO 330 in 1950, the NSC is “the principal advisory body in the proper coordination and integration of plans and policies relating to or with implications on national security.”

EO 115 issued in 1986 reorganized the NSC and defined its membership, functions and authority.

Marcos said EO 33 issued in 1992 and EO 34 issued in 2001 “reconstituted” the NSC to further enhance coordination between the Executive and Legislative branches in the formulation and integration of policies affecting national security.

Marcos cited EO 292, which authorizes the President to appoint such other government officials and private individuals as members of the council.

National Security Adviser Eduardo Año defended the President’s reorganization of the NSC.

“The purpose of reorganization is to enhance the formulation of policies relating to national security, so that actions and decisions thereon by the President rests on sound advice and accurate information. It is also premised on the need for timely and coherent action to address current and emerging threats to national security,” Año said in a statement yesterday.

He said the composition of the council is always subject to the authority of President.

“The Administrative Code of 1987 vests the President with the continuing authority to reorganize the administrative structure of the Office of the President, of which the NSC is a part. Moreover, Section 17, Article VII of the Constitution vests in the President the power of control over all executive departments, bureaus and offices,” Año said.

He said past Philippine presidents have reorganized the composition of the NSC to meet the President’s requirements and changing conditions.

Previous presidents had also reorganized the NSC, according to Año.

Marcos’ father, Ferdinand Marcos, reorganized the NSC under EO 396 in 1972; Corazon Aquino under EO 115 in 1986 and EO 292 in 1987; Fidel Ramos under EO 33 in 1992 and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo under EO 34 in 2001, Año said.

In an open letter in November last year, Duterte lashed out at the NSC for investigating her assassination threat against Marcos.

“National security pertains to the protection of our sovereignty, the safety of the Filipino population and the preservation of our democratic institutions. The function of the National Security Council is confined to the formulation of policies in furtherance of such pursuits,” she said.

“As a member of the National Security Council (EO 115 Dec. 24, 1986), I do not recall receiving a single notice of meeting since June 30, 2022. I request the NSA to please send to me the notarized minutes of all meetings conducted by the Council from June 30, 2022, if any. I want to review what the council has accomplished so far, in terms of policies and recommendations for national security,” Duterte said.

Marcos has not convened the NSC since assuming the presidency in 2022, according to PCO Secretary Cesar Chavez.

During a press conference in November, the Vice President said she ordered a member of her security team to kill the President, First Lady Liza Marcos and Marcos’ cousin, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, in the event of her own death.

Marcos has vowed to resist a “disturbing” plot of the Vice President to have him assassinated.

Meanwhile, Duterte has remained mum on her and former president Rodrigo Duterte’s removal from the NSC.

As of yesterday afternoon, the Vice President has yet to issue any statement regarding EO 81, despite requests from the media.

Office of the Vice President media relations officer John Carlo Cahinhinan  told reporters that all requests for a statement had been “relayed already” to the Vice President. — Elizabeth Marcelo