MANILA – Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro said that Vice President Sara Duterte may ask the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to review or withdraw her security detail, stressing that such protection is “a privilege, not a right.”

In an interview with PTV4, Teodoro said Duterte’s concerns over the personnel assigned to protect her could be addressed through a request to the AFP.

“Puwede niya namang i-request kung ganun, na totoo nga na nasabi niya na wala na siyang tiwala sa security niya … puwede niya na i-request na i-review ito dahil ang pagbibigay ng AFP security ay pribilehiyo ‘yan, hindi karapatan,” Teodoro said.

He added that the security detail could be withdrawn if Duterte no longer trusts the personnel assigned to her.

“It depends on her request to the AFP. But if it’s a question of trust then we can have them withdrawn, but as far as I know, [choice] niya iyon,” Teodoro explained.

Teodoro said AFP personnel are trained professionals who carry out their duties regardless of the identity of the person they are assigned to protect.

The Vice President’s security personnel are under the AFP Security and Protection Group (AFPSPG), which also provides protection to other VIPs as approved by the Department of National Defense (DND).

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said it has not monitored any verified threat against Duterte or her family after she expressed fears for their safety.

PNP chief PGen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said on Sept. 5 that Duterte had yet to report to police any threat against her life or the safety of her family.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla, meanwhile, rejected Duterte’s allegations that she was harassed during the service of the warrant of arrest against her.

Remulla challenged the Vice President to present CCTV footage supporting her allegation.

“Just to clarify the narrative, she said that she was harassed, that she did not trust the PNP or the DILG. As you can see in the service of the warrants, there was no SWAT, there was no armed component, the women, as you can see, are all unarmed. They are duly accepted to the residence and into the office,” Remulla said on Sept. 7.

He maintained that there was no harassment during the implementation of the warrant and urged Duterte’s camp to produce any available CCTV footage.

“Any thoughts of harassment during the service are totally untrue. We dare them to present any CCTVs that they have in their office, in their residence, of harassment that went on the service of the warrant,” Remulla said.