MANILA, Philippines — Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said they will “temporarily replace” personnel in the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG) because of a subpoena related to a police investigation. 

“We received a subpoena from the Philippine National Police calling the members of the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group for investigation. Meron po silang gagawing investigation. Kaya’t minabuti po natin na sundin ‘yung subpoena na ‘yun ng Philippine National Police so that matugunan nila yung investigation na yun so that they could shed light to the investigation,” said Brawner on November 27, Wednesday, in a speech at the AFP leadership summit. 

(They’re conducting an investigation. That’s why we decided to heed the PNP subpoena so that they can address that investigation, so that they could shed light to the investigation.)

Brawner, responding to a media report that claimed he would “take over” the VPSPG, said they will “temporarily replace” both the police and military contingent. 

The military chief said they would leave the VPSPG without personnel because “the security of the Vice President is still of primary concern to us.”

“Dahil nga po, kung merong nangyari, let’s say may nangyari sa ating Vice President, maaring ito ‘yung simula ng kaguluhan ano because of ‘yung salaysay na rin na binanggit niya na kung may mangyari sa kanya, meron po siyang mga actions na gagawin against the President, the First Lady and the Speaker of the House,” explained Brawner. 

(If something happens to the Vice President, this could be the cause for chaos because of what she’s said recently — that she has actions against the President, First Lady, Speaker of the House.)

He added: “So ayaw nating mangyari ‘yun na… baka masingitan tayo. Baka merong yung mga ibang grupo diyan ano, ‘di ba, na may gawin sa ating Vice President para mapagbintangan kung sino man and then that could cause chaos.”

(So we don’t want anyone to take advantage of that. There might be groups who want to do something to the Vice President, so the blame could be placed elsewhere and then that could cause chaos.) 

Speaking to reporters in a chance interview, Brawner said details of the personnel overhaul were still unavailable because the turnover was ongoing. 

Colonel Raymund Dante Lachica, chief of the VPSPG, would also be replaced because he is also being subpoenaed. On Wednesday, the Quezon City Police District filed a criminal complaint against Duterte, Lachica, and other Office of the Vice President security personnel stemming from the “forced transfer” of her chief of staff, Zuleika Lopez, to a private hospital over the weekend.

Brawner also mentioned information that the House panel probing Duterte’s alleged fund misuse may also summon Lachica. This was mentioned during the hearing on Tuesday, after OVP special disbursing officer (SDO) Gina Acosta revealed that it was Lachica who handled the OVP’s confidential funds.

“They will not be able to conduct the security properly and effectively. Kaya nga po ang gagawin natin (So what we’ll do) is that we will be replacing them with fresh personnel from the PNP and from the AFP,” said Brawner. 

The AFP chief also dismissed talk of military “adventurism” in his speech. 

“May panawagan na mag-intervene ang Armed Forces of the Philippines sa nangyayari sa ating politika ngayon dito sa ating bayan. But hindi po natin trabaho ‘yun. That is not our job,” he said 

(There are calls for the AFP to intervene in political events in our country. But that is not our job.) 

“Ang trabaho natin is (Our job is) to protect the Republic of the Philippines, protect its people, defend our territory, and defend our sovereignty and our sovereign rights,” he added. 

“So, yung mga nakaraang military adventurism ay hindi na po puwede ngayon ano (Military adventurism of the past is no longer applicable). That is why we will not take the law into our own hands. We will remain professional,” he said 

The AFP has been dragged into the ongoing political war between the Marcos administration and Duterte. Once allies, the two camps have turned into political foes. – Rappler.com