Bersamin on Marcos removing Sara from NSC: Not good action to have her on board

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Tuesday defended the action of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to remove Vice President Sara Duterte from the National Security Council (NSC).

At a Palace press briefing, Bersamin said the President has the right and responsibility to ensure that whoever advises him is within his fullest trust and confidence.

"I'm not saying that the Vice President has already... does not anymore deserve to be trusted, but I'm just saying that with the recent developments, it is not going to be good advice or good action on the part of the President to have her onboard," Bersamin said.

There was nothing personal with Marcos' decision, according to Bersamin.

The President issued Executive Order (EO) 81, which reorganized the NSC. The order removed Duterte and former presidents from the council's composition.

Marcos had said that the reorganization aims to ensure the NSC remains resilient and adaptable to evolving domestic and international challenges, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding national security and sovereignty to foster effective governance and stability.

To recall, relations between Marcoses and Dutertes turned sour despite being a tandem in the 2022 national elections.

Meanwhile, Bersamin also criticized former chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo for saying that Marcos' decision was ill-advised and that it smacks of dirty politics.

"Another brazen measure to diminish the political star power of VP Sara and FPRRD," Panelo said in an earlier statement.

"The removal of FPGMA and FPERAP in the NSC is to deodorize the elimination of VP Sara and FPRRD as members of the NSC—to make it appear that the two are not being targeted," he added.

However, Bersamin said, "Panelo during his time as presidential adviser advocated the exclusion of then Vice President Leni Robredo, so he has no moral authority to question the decision of the President."

He also denounced the remark made by former presidential spokesman Harry Roque, saying that Marcos was supposedly considering imposing martial law that allegedly prompted him to reorganize the NSC.

Bersamin said Roque was being malicious.

"Alam mo, kung iniisip mo iyan lagi, that's malicious, ano, because the Constitution is very clear when may a president declare martial law (You know, if someone always thinks about that, it's malicious because the Constitution is very clear when may a president declare martial law). I don't think it is in the mind of the President right now. What he has in mind is the economic prosperity of the country, the health and welfare of the people, especially those of the lower classes and the prioritization of his legacy projects," Bersamin said.

"The President accepts that as the number one concern. It's the about martial law, it's not about extending himself in power–no, he has no thinking about that that. "The President accepts that as the number one concern. It's the about martial law, it's not about extending himself in power–no, he has no thinking about that that. He does not even think in those terms, malicious talaga si Mr. Harry Roque (Mr. Harry Roque is really malicious)," he added.

GMA News Online asked Panelo and Roque for comments on Bersamin's remarks but Roque has yet to reply as of posting time.

Panelo, for his part, said Bersamin was misinformed.

''I never advocated the exclusion of former VP Robredo in the National Security Council,'' he said.

''She was in fact invited and attended the National Security Council meeting in July 2016 together with four living Presidents ( FVR, ERAP, PGMA, PBCA ) at that time during the Duterte presidency,'' he added.

There was an instance when Robredo had attended the NSC meeting when former President Rodrigo Duterte convened the body in 2016. — VDV/RSJ, GMA Integrated News