DAVAO City Mayor Sebastian Duterte questioned the order of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to strip his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte, of 75 security personnel.
"Kinahanglan niya'g pulis?... 75 [iyang] gipangita 'di ba? Mukuha ka'g isa sa Davao, mukuha ka'g usa sa Gensan [General Santos City], mukuha kag usa sa Mati, mukuha ka'g isa diri, didto... I'm sure makakita ka'g 75 ka buok nga kuhaon nimo sa tibuok Pilipinas (He needs police personnel? He is looking for 75, isn’t he? You take one in Davao, one in Gensan, one in Mati, one here, one there, I’m sure you can find 75 police personnel taken from the whole Philippines)," Duterte said in an interview with SMNI News right after the Hakbang ng Maisug rally in Cagayan de Oro City on Saturday, July 28.
He added that it only takes one police station in Davao or any other place in the country to fulfill the number of police personnel he needs.
Duterte expressed his confusion as to why PNP Chief Rommel Marbil had to relieve all of the vice president's security.
"Nganong kinahanglan kwaon man nimo sa usa ka source nimo nga security detail? Tubaga na! (Why do you need to take from one source’s security detail? Answer that!)" he said.
The vice president confirmed on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, that the PNP recalled the 75 police personnel assigned for her protection.
In a statement, the lady Duterte said the Office of the Chief PNP issued on July 22 an order relieving all of the 75 PNP Police and Security Group members that were deployed as her security personnel.
However, she assured that the order would not affect the performance of her duties and responsibilities.
In a previous report, Marbil said the relief order not only covers those deployed as security personnel of Duterte but also their other protectees in a bid to beef up police deployment on the streets.
He said around 300 Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG) personnel were recalled from their security escort deployment.
“Kinausap namin ang PSPG natin ‘yung chief of staff ng ating VP na ‘yung mga tao kasi marami na sila. Mostly, that’s a part ito ng military kasi PSG (Presidential Security Group) ang nagbabantay sa president at more of military. Kami is just a complement and we have enough complement po so we have ask them,” said Marbil. RGL
