The government had spent an “unimaginable” amount of more than P500 million for Vice President Sara Duterte’s 433 security detail, funds been better used to feed the hungry and alleviate poverty.

Thus, said Presidential Adviser on Poverty Alleviation Secretary Larry Gadon on Sunday, adding that the “lavish spending” for the security of just one person highlights the substantial financial burden on public funds.

He questioned the morality and propriety of such expenditures for the Vice President in the past two years. He said each of the security personnel may be assumed to earn at least P50,000 a month.

“This translates to over P20 million a month, and when multiplied by 24 months, it totals an astounding P480 million,” Gadon pointed out.

He cited online data that the OVP spent P55 million from 2022 to 2024 on special duty allowances for military and uniformed personnel.

“This means that more than half a billion pesos have been spent on the lavish security of one individual, a sum that could have been better allocated to building much-needed school infrastructure or providing food for the people,” he said.

“I would have kept quiet on this issue if not for the ridiculous exaggeration of some people like Sen. Bato dela Rosa calling on private citizen groups to augment the security of VP Sara as if there is a constant, imminent grave threat and danger to her life.”

Gadon stressed that VP Duterte still has 373 security personnel even after removing the 75.

‘Political harassment’

“Some people surrounding her even claim that this is political harassment. Saan banda (where)? I have nothing against VP Sara personally; I am just seeking justification on this issue.”

For the years 2019-2021, during the term of Duterte’s predecessor, the OVP spent a fixed P5.7 million each year for special duty allowances, the same budget records show. Gadon said the amount is a far cry from Duterte’s P25 million allocation for the same allowances until this year.

Gadon also raised concerns about the impact of this massive security detail on the broader population, explaining that “when the standard ratio of one policeman for every 2,000 individuals is used, this deployment deprives hundreds of thousands of Filipinos of essential police services.”

He described it as an outrageous misallocation of resources that directly impacts public safety. The OVP is requesting a budget of over P2 billion for 2025, which is 8 percent higher than this year’s budget.

Gadon called for greater transparency and accountability in the use of government funds, urging lawmakers and the public to scrutinize the OVP’s budget.

“It is crucial that we question not just the legality, but the morality of spending vast sums of money on the security of one individual, especially when those funds could be better used to address the pressing needs of our nation,” he concluded.