MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday said it is committed to transparency and accountability amid a report that former officers assigned to the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG) may face court martial proceedings, due to their alleged involvement in the release of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education’s (DepEd) confidential funds.

The AFP neither confirmed nor denied the report.

“If there is one thing that the AFP is sure about, no one is above the law. We commit ourselves to transparency and accountability to our personnel in the observation of the rule of law,” AFP Public Information Office chief Colonel Xerxes Trinidad told reporters in a press briefing.

A report claimed that the office of the Provost Marshal General (PMG) is creating a fact-finding committee to investigate the involvement of former VPSPG commander Colonel Raymund Lachica and deputy commander Colonel Dennis Nolasco over the disbursements.

AFP: VP Duterte's security absorbed into Security and Protection Group 

AFP: VP DUTERTE’S SECURITY ABSORBED INTO AFPSPG 

The AFP once again clarified that the VPSPG was “reorganized” as part of the military’s streamlining efforts. Trinidad explained that the vice president’s security was not disbanded. Rather, it was absorbed into the AFP Security and Protection Group (AFPSPG). 

“We issued a statement [on April 5] to clarify misleading information circulating on social media and mainstream media carrying the report. Very simple lang po: It is part of our reorganization and streamlining of the AFP. We are transforming and this is related to how we address the current environment situation,” Trinidad said. 

“Hindi po nawalan ng security detail ang vice president and future vice presidents. In this kind of reorganization, this ensures continuity and seamless operations for providing security and protection to our vice president,” he added.

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The VPSPG, which was created only in June 2022, provided security exclusively for the vice president. The creation of the AFPSPG includes the vice president as among the dignitaries and VIPs it would protect. 

“The previous one, the VPSPG, was dedicated military and security protection for the position of the vice president. Now, the AFP has other commitments to provide protection and security to other dignitaries and VIPs. So, to ensure safety and protection and seamless operations for protection and security details, that is the creation of the AFP Security and Protection Group, which encompasses the vice president’s security and other [VIPs],” Trinidad noted. 

According to the military, prior to the creation of the VPSPG, vice presidents were secured by the Security and Protection Battalion under the AFP General Headquarters and Headquarters Support Command “with no dedicated military security group.”

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“As such, the current set-up is a more efficient and effective way to ensure the safety and security of the present and future vice presidents,” the AFP said in a statement.