Vice President Sara Duterte led the launching of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) and School Mental Health Program held at Esteban Abada Elementary School in Quezon City on Wednesday, January 24, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/file

MANILA — The Philippine National Police’s (PNP) decision regarding the security detail of public officials should be respected, according to at least two lawmakers, following the reduction in the number of policemen securing Vice President Sara Duterte.

House Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. said there were also instances when the police security detail of some congressmen had to be diverted.

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 “Kami rin mga congressman, minsan dalawa lang ‘yung mga security namin, umiikot kami sa mga distrito. Minsan ipu-pull out po ‘yung mga security namin, wala po kaming magagawa kasi mayroon silang paggagamitan na iba. So, we have to understand that situation po sana 'di ba? We have to respect that,” he told the media in a briefing on Tuesday. 

Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua said that Duterte’s security team was not completely removed, adding that the matter should not be politicized. 

He accused the Vice President of possibly using the matter to “divert” public attention from her personal trip to Germany, as the country grapples with the devastation caused by Typhoon Carina.

 “Baka mamaya dina-divert lamang niya ‘yung issue. Dahil naalala po ninyo, siya po ay sumagot dito noong pumutok po ‘yung issue na siya po ay pumunta sa Germany sa kasagsagan po ng bagyo. Sa tingin ko dina-divert lamang po nila ‘yung issue... The PNP is just doing their job. Sana respetuhin natin po yung ganito pong trabaho,” Chua said.

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 “Hindi naman po siya tinanggalan ng security. As we speak, 31 parin po ‘yung security na naka-detail sa kanya. So ang pwede po natin kwestyunin, kung totally tinanggalan po siya ng security. In fact, nagsimula po yata, kung hindi po ako nagkakamali sa 400. Siya po ‘yung most secured vice president in the history. Kaya lang siyempre we have to consider na marami rin pong binabantayan ang ating mga kapulisan,” he added.

For Former Vice President Leni Robredo’s former spokesperson Atty. Barry Gutierrez, the reduced number of security for Vice President Duterte should not be an issue, adding that Robredo experienced the same under the Duterte administration, but they did not complain.

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Gutierrez said Robredo’s 108 security personnel in 2016 went down to 78 in 2022.

VP Duterte this week released an "open letter" to PNP chief Rommel Marbil saying the recall of the 75 police officers was part of "political harassment" against her, adding that the cops who had been transferred were PNP personnel she trusted. 

She also raised concerns about her family's safety, claiming that police "cased" her house and had tried to find out where she lives.

The change in Duterte's security arrangements has prompted Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, a former PNP chief, to call on retired police and military personnel to volunteer to provide additional security to the VP. 

The 75 of the 106 cops assigned to Vice President Duterte — were recalled to address a shortage of personnel in the National Capital Region, according to the PNP chief.

PNP EXPLAINS

On Tuesday, the PNP said the recall of their personnel was properly coordinated. 

"Again ang objective ng PNP leadership ay dagdagan yung mga pulis natin on the ground para madagdagan at ma-sustain natin yung police visibility and presence at nagamit natin itong mga pulis na ito nitong nagdaaang SONA, nitong nagdaaang bagyo," said PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo.

The PNP also denied Duterte's accusation of "casing."

"Well according to our PNP leadership ay wala pong katotohanan ito but then again sabi nga natin whatever issues na nakapaloob doon sa sulat ng ating Pangalawang Pangulo siguro mas makakabuti sa ating lahat at para sa mga mamamayan natin na i-address ito silently at kung ano man yung mga concerns and issues ay ang PNP naman ay bukas sa ano mang dialogue," Fajardo added.

She said Marbil has refused to comment on Duterte's open letter.

 "The chief PNP opted not to answer na lang kung ano man yung nabitawang salita ng ating Vice President, of course out of respect to our VP. Kung ano man itong mga usapin na ito, we rather address this silently," said Fajardo.

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