Malacañang defended President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s decision to exclude Vice President Sara Duterte from the National Security Council (NSC), responding to criticisms that the move was politically motivated.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin explained that the President must trust those who advise him, and the reorganization was within Marcos’ constitutional right.
Duterte’s removal comes amid ongoing political tensions between the Marcos administration and the Duterte family, which escalated after the Vice President resigned from the Cabinet.
Critics, including former allies like Salvador Panelo and Harry Roque, suggested the move could signal a return to martial law, a claim dismissed by Bersamin as malicious.
The NSC overhaul reflects the growing rift, with Bersamin asserting that the Vice President’s removal was based on her perceived irrelevance to the council’s responsibilities.
Source: PhilNews24 | January 8, 2025
