Vice president's security group disbanded
THE Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG) has been deactivated by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner Jr. The deactivation comes after several members of the group were relieved over their alleged involvement in the transfer of Office of Vice President chief of staff Zuleika Lopez last year. Earlier, the 75 police officers assigned to Vice President Sara Duterte under the VPSPG were replaced after she mentioned during a press briefing last November that she had ordered an assassin to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez should anything happen to her. A source in the AFP showed The Manila Times a document containing General Order 196, which was issued on Feb. 10. Another senior AFP official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, verified the legitimacy of the order, saying that the changes in security structure were "approved at the highest levels and are part of a broader realignment within the AFP's security apparatus." The AFP has yet to issue a statement explaining the rationale for the reorganization. The order, which was prepared by AFP deputy chief of staff Lt. Gen. Jimmy Larida and signed by Adjutant Gen. Bernardo Fortez Jr., disbanded the VPSPG effective Feb. 6. At the same time, the special detail battalion under the AFP General Headquarters and Headquarters Service Command was reorganized and renamed as the AFP Security and Protection Group (ASPG). The ASPG, according to the order, will provide security not only for the vice president but other very important persons as approved by the Department of National Defense. The group will have 18 officers and 329 enlisted personnel, and will be headed by a commander with the rank of colonel or captain in the Philippine Navy. The VPSPG was formed in June 2022 to separate it from the Vice Presidential Security Detachment under the Presidential Security Group (PSG, now Presidential Security Command). Its mission is to protect the vice president and its immediate family members. In a statement last June 25, 2022, Vice President Duterte lauded former defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana and AFP chief of staff Gen. Andres Centino for creating the VPSPG and separating it from the PSG.
Tomas Kauer - Moderator 
THE Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG) has been deactivated by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner Jr.
The deactivation comes after several members of the group were relieved over their alleged involvement in the transfer of Office of Vice President chief of staff Zuleika Lopez last year.
Earlier, the 75 police officers assigned to Vice President Sara Duterte under the VPSPG were replaced after she mentioned during a press briefing last November that she had ordered an assassin to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez should anything happen to her.
A source in the AFP showed The Manila Times a document containing General Order 196, which was issued on Feb. 10.
Another senior AFP official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, verified the legitimacy of the order, saying that the changes in security structure were "approved at the highest levels and are part of a broader realignment within the AFP's security apparatus."
The AFP has yet to issue a statement explaining the rationale for the reorganization.
The order, which was prepared by AFP deputy chief of staff Lt. Gen. Jimmy Larida and signed by Adjutant Gen. Bernardo Fortez Jr., disbanded the VPSPG effective Feb. 6.
At the same time, the special detail battalion under the AFP General Headquarters and Headquarters Service Command was reorganized and renamed as the AFP Security and Protection Group (ASPG).
The ASPG, according to the order, will provide security not only for the vice president but other very important persons as approved by the Department of National Defense.
The group will have 18 officers and 329 enlisted personnel, and will be headed by a commander with the rank of colonel or captain in the Philippine Navy.
The VPSPG was formed in June 2022 to separate it from the Vice Presidential Security Detachment under the Presidential Security Group (PSG, now Presidential Security Command). Its mission is to protect the vice president and its immediate family members.
In a statement last June 25, 2022, Vice President Duterte lauded former defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana and AFP chief of staff Gen. Andres Centino for creating the VPSPG and separating it from the PSG.
