That it is imperative to secure the second-highest official of the land is a no-brainer. To recklessly pull out the security team of a vice president is the height of irresponsibility.
Therefore, no one wonders why many volunteered to secure Vice President Sara Duterte following the Philippine National Police’s decision to pull out 75 members of her security detail. They see the real risk that she faces.
Everyone knows that every vice president deserves full protection, whether it’s Sara Duterte, Leni Robredo, or Noli de Castro. Remember that the VP is just a post away from the presidency.
Although, the former Office of the Vice President spokesman, Atty. Barry Gutierrez, compared the security detail of former vice president Leni Robredo which is way below in figure than the incumbent VP. He said that Robredo has 100 security detail in 2016 and reduced to 83 by 2020 as compared to Duterte’s 433 security personnel that even after the reduction of 75 personnel, she still has more than 350 soldiers providing her security.
The Duterte loyalists, however, quickly defended VP Sara by saying that in terms of threats, hers is incomparable to that of Leni. They emphasize that before she became vice president, she was the mayor of Davao City. Just like her father, Former president Rody Duterte, she fought against the menace of drugs and evil insurgency.
They added that such facts cannot be said of Leni, Noli, or GMA, who was a senator before she became VP. The enemies of the Dutertes are the powerful drug lords whose business of destroying the lives of countless youths was severely affected by Digong’s war on drugs.
VP Sara, for her part, pointed out that her main concern is not just her own welfare but also the welfare of those she loves, specifically her family. “VP Sara: No need to volunteer for my security,” the Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported on July 30, 2024.
“I have only one request for you: the safety of my family. Do not allow any violence to befall my mother, husband, and four children, either in person or on the internet. And, in any case, do not turn a blind eye to anyone who would do harm against them,” Duterte said in a statement.
The pressure on the Dutertes continues to increase. The Uniteam is gone, but not the respective strengths of the groups that once comprised the team, namely, the loyalists of the Marcoses, on the one hand, and the die-hards of the Dutertes, on the other, remain.
There are other groups or parties like the Liberal Party which remains a formidable force. It would be interesting to see if a new force outside of the traditional groups we have always seen dominating the narratives would emerge.
Currently, the pro-Duterte Maisug rallies are everywhere, and the exodus of elected officials towards the side of the administration continues. Let us see how many parties can put up a complete lineup in next year’s mid-term election and what the election result would be. It will be a preparation for the 2028 presidential election.
So, going back to Sara’s security, is the reduction overkill? It depends on which side of the fence you are on.