Marcos excludes VP, past presidents from National Security Council
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has issued an executive order (EO) that appears to remove the vice president and former presidents from the National Security Council (NSC).
EO 81, titled "Reorganizing the National Security Council," was signed on Dec. 30, 2024, but was only released to the media on Friday, January 3.
Marcos listed the following as members of the NSC:
- President as Chairperson
- Senate President
- Speaker of the House of Representatives
- Senate President Pro-Tempore
- Three Deputy Speakers to be designated by the Speaker
- Majority Floor Leader of the Senate
- Majority Floor Leader of the House
- Minority Floor Leader of the Senate
- Minority Floor Leader of the House
- Chairperson, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
- Chairperson, Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation
- Chairperson, Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs
- Chairperson, House Committee on Foreign Affairs
- Chairperson, House Committee on National Defense and Security
- Chairperson, House Committee on Public Order and Safety
- Executive Secretary
- National Security Adviser
- Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs
- Secretary, Department of Justice
- Secretary, Department of National Defense
- Secretary, Department of the Interior and Local Government
- Secretary, Department of Labor and Employment
- Chief Presidential Legal Counsel
- Secretary, Presidential Communications Office
- Head, Presidential Legislative Liaison Office
- Such other government officials and private citizens as the President may appoint or designate from time to time.
Compared to former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's EO 34, Series of 2001, which organized the NSC, the vice president and former presidents are no longer included in Marcos' version.
There were several other minor changes from EO 34. For instance, the position of presidential spokesperson, which was included in Arroyo’s NSC, has been phased out in Marcos’ administration and replaced by the Secretary of the Presidential Communications Office.
Arroyo’s EO also designated Deputy Speakers from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao as members of the NSC. However, under Marcos’ EO, the House Speaker is now tasked with designating the deputy speakers who will be included in the NSC.
Reporters have sought clarification from Malacañang regarding this change, and Vice President Sara Duterte has also been asked for a response.
To recall, Duterte previously questioned the NSC about not being invited to a meeting, despite being technically a member of the council. However, her relationship with the Marcos administration soured throughout 2024.
Duterte publicly issued a death threat against Marcos. She claimed to have spoken to a contract hitman to kill Marcos, the First Lady and House Speaker if she were to die.
The NSC has since condemned Duterte’s remarks as a threat to national security. The National Bureau of Investigation is currently conducting an investigation into her comments.
With the new EO, Marcos effectively removed past presidents from the NSC, including Sara's father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Rodrigo had famously called for military action to overthrow Marcos, a move the Palace described as “great and evil.”
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