Vice President Sara Duterte, July 18, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News 

MANILA – Vice President Sara Duterte is still being secured by around 400 military personnel, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Tuesday, following the reduction of her police security.

AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said the 400 soldiers are part of the VP Security Group under the Presidential Security Command. This is the fixed number that can be deployed at any time and an augmentation can be requested depending on the requirements for any engagement, she said. 

“Suffice to say that that would be enough,” Padilla said in a media briefing at Camp Aguinaldo. “Kung hindi din kayang suportahan ng PSC, we usually do augmentation.”

Padilla said there was no security threat against Duterte.

“There is no imminent threat to our Vice President. On the side of the AFP… of course, we’ll be performing our mission of protecting our VVIPs,” she added.

Sara Duterte tells supporters: 'Don't let anyone get away with harming my family'

Duterte earlier issued an open letter to Philippine National Police chief Rommel Marbil for the pullout of 75 police officers assigned to her security, saying the move targeted some of her most trusted personnel.

“Let us call it what it is — a clear case of political harassment,” she said.

Sara Duterte should respect PNP, lawmakers say

Marbil told a Senate panel on Monday that the security reduction  for Duterte was meant to rationalize the PNP's deployment and that they wanted to increase police visibility.

Marbil said that Duterte was not the only official to have reduced police security.

Presidential Security Command assures VP Duterte of commitment to keep her safe