A matter of security

In an interview, AFP chief  General Romeo Brawner Jr. clarified with reporters that the Armed Forces received a subpoena from the Philippine National Police (PNP) informing that they will be conducting an investigation on the members of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG) and they will be temporarily replaced by new personnel from both the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the PNP. Brawner explained to the media on the sidelines of the AFP leadership summit at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City that it was best to comply with the subpoena at this time.

Reiterating further, the AFP chief said that the fact that there was a subpoena means that the VPSPG could not fully comply with the requirements necessary in protecting the Vice President, which has resulted to their temporary pullout and replacement. General Brawner, however, clarified that the Vice President will not be left unprotected and without security. This was the assurance made by the chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines specifically because it is the Armed Forces’ mandate to protect both the President and the Vice President.

The Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG) is tasked with providing the vice president and his or her immediate family security throughout his/her term in office.The VPSPG was activated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines in June of 2022, which was cited by the Vice President as an AFP initiative that also highlights the importance of having an independent group that will provide all Philippine vice presidents with the necessary security and protection.

She also expressed her gratitude for the foresight demonstrated by this activation and describing it to be highly laudable, so much so that it may be expected to solve the challenges if, in future elections, the vice president and the president face the misfortune of having strained relations.

It was in June 2022 that the Department of National Defense approved the activation of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group tasked to ensure the continuity of security for all vice presidents of the Philippines. As the second highest official of the land, the Office of the Vice President provides staff assistance to the vice president in his or her tasks and duties.

As for the relevance of the vice president, tagged as a spare tire among other terms associated to the position, this is not so much the case. If one may recall, in 2022, vice presidential aspirant former Senate president Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said a vice president can help run the country even without holding any Cabinet post. During the debates hosted by the Commission on Elections, Sotto then said that the second highest seat is not a “spare tire” or elected just to assume the presidency in case of the death, disability or resignation of the incumbent president, and that with the clout that the vice president has, he or she can achieve a lot for the country.

Having said this, it is beyond safe to say that the Office of the Vice President is necessary so much so that a well thought out strategy for a suitable heir is of great importance for continuity. As they say, a spare after all must be at all costs supportive of the commander-in-chief.

Philippine history has taught us that in 1972, when former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. declared martial law, he abolished the position of vice president and the Philippines had no VP for 14 years until 1986. During the Cory administration, then vice president Doy Laurel was tagged as an opposition vice president, even revealing to the Senate a list of high level officials under the Aquino government – a red list of over a hundred officials with the intention to warn the government of serious threats. Eventually, vice president Laurel faced a fact-finding body to testify as he faced accusations of coup plotting and while he was called out for not condemning the coup, he was not implicated in it. Clearly, in the case of Laurel, he proved to be far from being a mere spare tire, considering he held many other influential positions.

In light of all this, and taking into consideration just how important a vice president’s role can be, the Armed Forces of the Philippines in August of this year also agreed, through their spokesperson, that it was best for Vice President Duterte to choose her close-in security, especially in uncertain situations as these are the very same people who will offer their lives for her.

Once again, and being entirely circumspect about the situation, by design and necessity, as once explained by an army official, the Presidential Security Command is a much larger unit than the VPSPG, which consists of the different levels of security (including that of the Philippine National Police) required specifically for both the president and the vice president, which is intended to promote confidence in the general public about safety precautions for the two most important leaders of the land. This certainly makes it a matter of security, one which upholds a position of trust, integrity and a monumental amount of responsibility.