Marbil vows to return VP Sara’s trusted cops

Senators grill PNP chief

MANILA, Philippines — Senators Ronald dela Rosa and Robinhood Padilla yesterday grilled the Philippine National Police chief on the recall of Vice President Sara Duterte’s PNP security detail.

Under a strong “appeal” by Dela Rosa, PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil committed to reinstate at least the police escorts who have been detailed with the Dutertes for a long time and “trusted” by the Vice President.

Dela Rosa and Padilla, allies of former president Rodrigo Duterte, questioned Marbil’s decision to reassign the Vice President’s police security personnel.

Padilla asked Marbil if there was political pressure behind his move.

“There is no political pressure. What we are doing is really to rationalize the deployment of our PNP personnel,” Marbil replied.

“We removed the security detail since we want to professionalize the Police Security Protection Group. We want to make sure that certain criteria are followed: high security threat, medium security threat and no threat at all,” he said.

Duterte, who had 433 security personnel in 2022, has decried “political harassment” after Marbil reassigned 75 members of her police security detail.

Marbil said the Vice President is not facing any threat as “she is being loved by our people.”

Dela Rosa maintained that Duterte needs a security detail given “her strong stand against the CPP-NPA (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army).”

“Even if you don’t return the same number that you have reassigned, just reinstate some of the security. Just return the ones from Davao that you think the VP is comfortable with and remove those that she doesn’t know,” Dela Rosa said. “I am just appealing to you. I just asked if you can reinstate. Can I get your commitment?”
Marbil replied: “Of course, our (committee) chairperson.”

He said the PNP would provide more personnel if the Presidential Security Command in charge of Duterte’s security makes a request.

Dela Rosa and Padilla questioned Marbil during a Senate committee hearing on the PNP’s alleged use of excessive force when it raided the Kingdom of Jesus Christ in search of its founder, fugitive Apollo Quiboloy.