AFP to remain behind VP Sara’s back amid her trust issues

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday maintained it will continue to perform its mandate to provide security to Vice President Sara Duterte despite her recent pronouncements that she will not accept security replacements from the military, citing trust issues.

In a media briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said the military will remain professional in making sure of the “safety and the dignity of the President, the Vice President, and other dignitaries.”

“For AFP, sir, it is our mandate to secure our President and also our Vice President, it is our mission at the Presidential Security Command to protect the President, the Vice President, and other dignitaries from harm and embarrassment, and with this mission — we have to fulfill it to the letter,” Padilla told reporters. 

The House of Representatives is investigating Duterte’s alleged misuse of the confidential funds in her offices. Members of Duterte’s security detail from the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG) — Col. Raymund Lachica and Col. Dennis Nolasco — were repeatedly mentioned in the hearing. 

During the House hearing, Special Disbursing Officer (SDO) Gina Acosta confirmed that she authorized the release of P125 million in confidential funds to Lachica, the VPSPG Commander and the security officer for the Office of the Vice President (OVP), on 20 December 2022.

While, Edward Fajarda, the disbursing officer for the Department of Education (DepEd), confirmed that he transferred P37.5 million in the agency’s secret funds for the first quarter of 2023 to Nolasco, who was serving as DepEd's designated security officer in the time.

It was followed by the filing of the Philippine National Police (PNP) a formal complaint against Duterte and her security detail over confrontations between the Vice President’s camp and the police officers at the House of Representatives Detention Center and the Veterans Memorial Medical Center last month. 

Due to the possible cases against the VPSPG members, AFP chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. disclosed its plan to recall some of Duterte’s security personnel and temporarily replace them with personnel from the military and the police force. 

Duterte, in a press conference on Wednesday, said she wrote a letter to Brawner telling him she would not be accepting any replacements for those who will be recalled.

The Vice President also disclosed her plan to outsource from private security services, citing the previous threat to her life. 

Despite this, Padilla said the AFP will still ensure that Duterte ’s security won’t be compromised.

“Speaking on behalf of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, we will continue to perform our mandate accordingly, the AFP will provide security accordingly,” the military spokesperson stressed. 

“We will make sure that the security of the Vice President will not be compromised,” she added.

Padilla, likewise, said they have yet to see the content of Duterte’s letter to Brawner, stressing that the military will continue its task to secure the top leaders and other dignitaries of the country.

“So we will not be divulging operational details on how this will ensue but we are ensuring that we will do our mandate accordingly to protect our top leaders accordingly,” she added.

Meanwhile, Padilla said “there’s no finality yet” to the replacement of current VPSPG members and that they are still on active duty to ensure Duterte’s security.

“This is an ongoing process. We're still waiting for the issuance of orders and it's a process that has to go through,” she noted.

“When we speak of the Vice Presidential Security, it's under the Presidential Security Command, which is an AFP unit. So the process — it will be bottom-up or from higher headquarters going to their level. So will follow the process in issuing orders,” she explained. 

Padilla also stressed the AFP’s mission is “clear” and the military’s resolve is “unwavering” amid political disturbances. 

“Our leader’s our top priority. So amidst all of this noise of politics, we remain silent, but ready to defend [and] the AFP upholds our non-partisanship to ensure our full focus on national security,” she said. 

Padilla also noted the unity of soldiers and citizens “outweighs the division caused by politics.”

“Our allegiance lies not within colors, but within the nation. The AFP is committed to defending the sovereignty of our country. We stand not on the left, nor on the right. We stand for the Filipino people,” she said.