Philippine President Marcos Removes Vice President Duterte From National Security Council

Vice President of the Philippines Sara Duterte. (Wikimedia Commons/Dipologist City Government)

JAKARTA - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the removal of Vice President Sara Duterte from the National Security Council, following his second split last year.

President Marcos said the National Security Council (NSC) reorganization was needed to "ensure that its board members uphold and protect national security and sovereignty".

"Currently, the Vice President is deemed irrelevant to membership responsibilities in the NSC," Presidential Executive Secretary Lucas P. said in a statement.

The board's reorganization is also aimed at ensuring a formidable national security agency capable of adapting to new challenges, according to the order, which was signed on December 30 and released on Friday.

The change has also excluded the former president from board membership and authorized President Marcos to appoint "government officials and other nationals" as needed.

Separately, the vice president's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sara Duterte, daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, is currently facing impeachment complaints accusing her of corruption, incompetency, and raising illegally obtained wealth while in office. He denied the allegations.

Vice President Duterte said he had hired a murderer to kill his president, wife, and cousin who was a spokesman for the House of Representatives if he himself was killed. He later claimed that his statement had been taken out of context.