VICE President Sara Duterte may formally request the withdrawal of the security detail provided to her by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), according to Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
The statement comes after Duterte publicly expressed distrust toward the police, the courts, and even the security team assigned to protect her during her appearance at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court on September 5.
“She has the right to request its withdrawal. So, let us leave it at that. The soldiers assigned to her are mission‑trained; there is no personal bias involved in their duties,” Teodoro said on Thursday, September 10. He clarified, however, that the Defense Department has not yet received any formal request from the Vice President to remove her security contingent.
Teodoro explained that the security being provided by the AFP is considered a courtesy and a privilege extended to the office of the Vice President, not an absolute right. Should the Vice President lose trust and confidence in the personnel assigned to her, she is fully within her rights to ask that the detail be withdrawn. In such an event, Duterte may also opt to engage her own private security arrangements instead.
The Vice President’s remarks questioning the reliability of her security personnel were made shortly before she posted bail at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, which had issued an arrest warrant against her over three counts of grave threats. Teodoro’s remarks seek to clarify the protocol governing her protection, acknowledging her prerogative to make changes while affirming the professionalism of the AFP personnel assigned to her.
metrosundaily
