Lawmaker slams VP Sara's 'diverting tactic'

A lawmaker on Tuesday criticized what he called the "diverting" tactic of Vice President Sara Duterte toward her controversial Germany trip in the thick of Typhoon Carina in the pullout of 75 police personnel previously assigned to her office.

"I think [the VP] is just diverting the issue. Not everything should be [mixed] with politics. The PNP (Philippine National Police) is just doing their job," Manila Rep. Joel Chua told reporters in a regular press conference in the chamber. 

Chua made the remark after Duterte insinuated that the removal of the cops from her personal security team is a "clear case of political harassment."

PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil earlier explained that there is a need to recall the 75 personnel of Police and Security and Protection Group (PSPG) from the OVP to beef up security patrols in the streets of Metro Manila.

Besides, Marbil said there is no threat to the Vice President and that she still has the highest security detail compared to her predecessors despite the cops' withdrawal. 

Duterte, however, questioned the timing of Marbil's marching order, which she claimed was enforced only after she quit the Marcos Cabinet as Education secretary and after naming herself a "designated survivor"—an American concept intended to ensure unhampered succession to the presidency in case a catastrophic event strikes and wipes out top government officials attending the State of the Union Address.

Chua, however, countered that Duterte—who he claimed is the most secure Vice President in history—must give due consideration to the PNP's decision, taking into account the "shortage" in the police force. 

"We must respect the decision of the PNP because they are the ones who know where our police force should be assigned… [She] was not totally stripped of [security], it was just reduced because it would be used in other agencies in need," Chua pointed out. 

"I don't see any politics here. Maybe she's just diverting the issue because, if you remember, she made this statement in the wake of reports that she went to Germany during the height of the typhoon," he pointed out. 

To recall, Duterte made headlines for flying to Germany for a "personal trip" with her family on Wednesday last week amid torrential monsoon rains and widespread flooding brought about by "Carina" and the southwest monsoon (Habagat).

She admitted that her departure was "unfortunate" as it coincided with the typhoon. However, she claimed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. authorized such a trip.

Meanwhile, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. posits that the recall of the police was not a personal affront to the VP as members of Congress have also had their security taken away.

"We, congressmen, sometimes have only two security guards. We go around the districts. Sometimes, our security will be pulled out, but we can't do anything because they will be [assigned for other security purposes]. We have to respect that," Gonzales said.

A 2022 report of the Commission on Audit showed that Duterte's Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group had 433 members, accounting for most of the OVP's 683 total personnel.