AFP to Continue Providing Security Detail for VP Sara Duterte

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday said that it has not received a request to withdraw Vice President Sara Duterte’s military security detail, so it will continue guarding her. This came after National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said that Duterte was free to request the withdrawal of her security detail if she did not feel safe around them. Asked if there was an official request from the Office of the Vice President, AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said there was not. “We are not aware of any of that. For the side of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, generic po ito. Not directed to any particular individual or any entity po no. For us in the AFP, duty po natin ‘yan, mandato po natin, kasama sa mission ng Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas to protect our VIPs accordingly,” Padilla said. (Translation: “We are not aware of any of that. For the side of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, this is generic. Not directed to any particular individual or any entity. For us in the AFP, it is our duty, our mandate, it is in the mission of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to protect our VIPs accordingly.”) Padilla said that they will continue with this mandate and secure the Vice President. After Duterte expressed distrust of the courts and police system, she posted a supposed screenshot of a conversation with former AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. reportedly promising Duterte and her family protection in 2024. “I think that needs to be validated ano. At this point, we don't have information on that,” Padilla said when asked about the arrangement. Duterte’s statements that she felt unsafe around police were made when she was posting bail for her three counts of grave threats charges. She had publicly said that she had spoken with someone to kill President “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and then-House speaker Martin Romualdez if she were killed. — BM, GMA News