December 12, 2024
Manila – Vice President Sara Duterte says she has lost trust in the entire government and is considering hiring a private security agency to protect her personal safety.
If the plan comes to fruition, it could mean hiring about 440 bodyguards for just one VIP (if she matches the number assigned to her before her rift with President Marcos worsened and became full-blown in public) ).
Duterte also revealed on Wednesday that she had sent a letter to Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner Jr., in which she “made several demands” related to her current The status of security teams, which she said may be reduced or reduced.
READ: AFP investigating 2 officials over alleged payments of secret funds to OVP, Education Ministry
“First of all, I tell [Brawner] “I will not accept replacement of the old security personnel and will only keep those who remain with me,” she told reporters at a press conference at her Mandaluyong City office. Reporters covering the vice president’s office hosted a Thanksgiving lunch.
“If the security personnel are going to be pulled out and I will not leave any security personnel, then we will look for security arrangements other than the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP),” she said.
“We are exploring [tapping] Private Security Services,” when asked what her options were.
“Not a private army”
But she quickly clarified that this did not amount to having her own private army and said only “professional security services” would be considered.
“So it’s not considered a private army, I don’t know if these people can carry guns. So that makes them no longer an army,” Duterte stressed.
“This is an option we are preparing for in case the Armed Forces of the Philippines withdraws its entire security force.”
AFP announced last month that several members of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG), the integrated force that protects Duterte and is overseen by AFP, would be replaced by a new group of soldiers and police.
This was an offshoot of her Nov. 23 virtual press conference, in which she said she had spoken to someone calling for the killing of President Marcos, his wife Lisa, and others if the alleged plot to kill her succeeds. Speaker Martin Romualz.
My husband can arrange it
Duterte later expressed dissatisfaction with the planned revamp of the VPSPG and said she did not want any of the original personnel to be replaced.
On Wednesday, she said her husband, attorney Manasses Carpio, could “make arrangements” for private security and that budgeting for it shouldn’t be a problem.
She again claimed that the government continued to ignore threats to her safety.
“I don’t feel safe,” she lamented. “Like I said, there’s always bias because when you look at the DOJ (Department of Justice). They’re currently investigating (the threats she made at the press conference), but they’re not even investigating why we were there in the first place. There.
Absent NBI
Also on Wednesday, Duterte made good on her earlier statement that she would once again miss a hearing by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which subpoenaed her over threats against the first couple and the Speaker.
The bureau is investigating whether her vice president may have committed criminal offenses, primarily possible serious violations of cybercrime and anti-terrorism laws.
Citing her second absence, NBI Director Jaime Santiago said there would be no third investigation and that the bureau would rely solely on a letter sent by her lawyer and other evidence collected. Write a report.
“You all saw how we entertained our vice president. We gave her every opportunity but she wouldn’t [to appear]there is nothing we can do about it,” Santiago said at a news conference.
“Perhaps in early January we will submit our proposals [and] Our report to the Department of Justice,” he added.
“When we need it”
But until then, Duterte could still file a counter-affidavit, which “would be better” because it would be her own words and not her lawyers’, he said.
The official said the vice president’s absence would also make it more difficult for the NBI to investigate allegations of threats to his life.
“We have no concrete evidence. She was the one who was threatened, so she knows who threatened her. Do we have evidence? That’s the information we need from the vice president.
