Metro Manila, Philippines — The chief of the Philippine National Police committed to reinstate Davao policemen to Vice President Sara Duterte’s security detail after an impassioned appeal from Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
In July, the PNP recalled 75 cops assigned to Duterte citing rationalization in police deployment, leaving 31 officers detailed with the vice president.
“In behalf of the vice president and in behalf of the Filipino people who want that our vice president is properly secured and protected, can I ask you for the record, that yung iniwan mo na 31, pwede ba na bigyan mo ng laya yung ating vice president kung sino ba sa kaniyang mga former security ang pwedeng iiwan mo?” Dela Rosa said in a Senate hearing where PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil was a resource person.
[Translation: On behalf of the vice president and the Filipino people who want our vice president to be properly secured and protected, may I request for the record that of the 31 security personnel you left, could you allow the vice president to choose who among her former security detail she would prefer to keep?]
“Kasi ang reklamo nga niya, may iniwan ka nga, pero hindi niya kilala, hindi siya komportable. Baka pwedeng yung mga security niya na from Davao na matagal na sa kanila, na kilala niya, komportable siya, baka pwede yun na ang ibigay natin,” Dela Rosa added.
[Translation: Her concern is that although you did leave some personnel, she does not know them and does not feel comfortable with them. It might be better to assign her security personnel from Davao who have been with her for a long time, whom she knows and feels comfortable with.]
Marbil said the vice president still had 358 military personnel with her, but Dela Rosa cut him short.
“We are just talking about PNP… dahil ang PNP ang close sa kaniya dahil dati siyang mayor at yung local police ng Davao yun ang dinala niya doon na security,” Dela Rosa said.
[Translation: We are only discussing the PNP… because the PNP is closer to her since she was previously a mayor, and she brought her local Davao police as her security there.]
Dela Rosa, who was a Davao City police chief and promoted to PNP chief by then President Rodrigo Duterte, expressed support for reallocating the 75 officers removed from Duterte’s security detail to increase police visibility in other areas. However, he cited the threat to the vice president posed by armed rebels from the New People’s Army.
“This is my personal appeal to you being a Filipino kasi ayaw ko talaga may mangyari sa ating pangalawang pangulo, pag yan ay naambush ng NPA at nagsipagtakbuhan ang security niya, nakakahiya tayo. Pero kung ibalik mo yung mga taga Davao… talagang makipag patayan sa kaniya,” Dela Rosa said.
[Translation: This is my personal appeal to you as a fellow Filipino: I really don’t want anything to happen to our vice president. If the NPA ambushes her and her security personnel flee, it will be a disgrace for us. But if you send back the personnel from Davao… they will truly fight to protect him.]
He sought Marbil’s commitment in reinstating the Davao cops.
“Of course, our chairperson,” Marbil said.
Dela Rosa and Marbil’s exchange happened during a hearing on the June raid at fugitive Apollo Quiboloy’s properties, which was chaired by the senator as chairperson of the committee on public order. Senator Robin Padilla raised the issue of Duterte’s security during the hearing.
