Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday issued an open letter to Philippine National Police chief Rommel Marbil for allegedly lying about the pullout of 75 police officers assigned to her security, saying the move targeted some of her most trusted personnel.

Duterte said the pullout of her security personnel came after her resignation as Department of Education secretary, her comparison of the State of the Nation Address to a “catastrophic” event, and the release of an alleged video linking President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to illegal drugs.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology earlier said the video was a “deepfake” or digitally created and those behind the video could be held liable for violating laws on cyber libel, slander, and malicious mischief.

Officials dismiss ‘fake, malicious’ video showing Marcos allegedly doing drugs

Duterte noted the PNP relief order covered police officers who had gained her trust and confidence as police escorts or her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, in 2016, or were assigned as her own security detail since 2007.

“It was obviously a targeted list and a targeted maneuver — nothing else,” she said.

ABS-CBN has reached out to PNP chief Marbil but he has yet to respond.

Duterte said that after the pullout, she immediately issued a statement that said it would not affect her work as Vice President. However, she pointed out that Marbil had been granting interviews giving different reasons for the pullout.

She noted that the Vice Presidential Protection Division (VPPD) under the Police Security and Protection Group was specifically created so that the “PNP chief will not interfere with my security and those of future vice-presidents.”

She denied Marbil’s claim that the PNP requested the Office of the Vice President for a possible pullout of 75 personnel, saying there was no such request.

PNP chief: Some of VP Duterte’s police escorts transferred to address lack of cops in NCR

“Walang request na nangyari. Sinabihan lamang ng PSPG ang OVP na kukunin nila ang mga personnel. Hindi na kami nakipagtalo dahil ikaw naman ang batas 'di ba? Kasunod nito ay lumabas na ang Relief Orders sa utos mo,” she said.

NO THREATS?

She also refuted Marbil’s claim that she is not facing any threat, noting 2 recent instances where she and her family were placed in danger.

The first instance, she said, was when video footage of her and her family at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport was released to a media outlet. The video, she said, showed both her husband and her minor children.

“Kuha sa isang lugar kung saan pawang mga empleyado lamang ng paliparan at piling mga tao ang maaring nandoon. Hindi na baleng ako, ngunit nakuha at naisapubliko rin sa naturang video ang aking asawa at mga menor de edad na anak na naging isang malaking banta sa kanilang seguridad,” she said.

The second instance, she said, was when several police officers tried to find out where she lived.

“Kamakailan lang ay nagtungo rin ang mga operatiba ng PNP sa lugar kung saan ako nakatira upang ‘mag-casing.’ Pilit pang inaalam kung nasaan mismo ang bahay na inuupahan ko. Bahay kung saan rin nakatira ang aking mga anak. Kung hindi ito napigilan ng mga nagmagandang loob na opisyal ng homeowners’ association, hindi ko na alam kung ano pa ang maaring mangyari,” she said.

She added: “Ano ba ang ibig sabihin ng ‘threat’ sa iyo? Ang banta ba ay maaari lamang magmula sa mga external elements? Hindi na ba ‘threat’ kung ang harassment ay nanggagaling mismo sa mga tauhan ng gobyerno?”

“Kung talagang wala kang nakikitang banta laban sakin, bakit nagtira ka pa ng 45 na tauhan ng PNP na ikaw ang pumili?”

She told Marbil that when it comes to her family’s security, she will be the one to decide on who will provide said security. “Batas ka lang, hindi ka Diyos,” she said.

She also doubted the PNP’s chief claim that the pullout was due to the need to improve the police to population ratio. She said 38 of the 75 cops covered the relief order hail from Mindanao but will be reassigned to the National Capital Region.

“Ang kailangan ng PNP ay isang Chief na makabago mag-isip, at gagamit ng makabagong teknolohiya, drones, innovations at iba pa, upang mabigyan ng solution ang isyu ng peace and order,” she said.

She added: “Let us spare our people from all the lies. Let us call it what it is — a clear case of political harassment.”