Marcos still trusts AFP despite persons of interest reportedly in Sara Duterte's security detail — Palace

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s trust in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) remains intact despite information from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) that persons of interest in the alleged assasination plot are from the active uniformed personnel and the security group of Vice President Sara Duterte, Malacañang said Thursday.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro, however, stressed that it must be identified if any member of the military would break faith in order to protect one individual.

“‘Yung tiwala ng Pangulo ay nandoon pa rin po sa ating mga kasundaluhan. ‘Yung mga balak na tumiwalag para proteksyunan, ipaglaban ang interes ng isang tao laban sa batas, laban sa Konstitusyon, dapat itong malaman kung sinu sino,” Castro said.

(The President’s trust in our soldiers remains intact. But it is necessary to identify those who are planning to break away to protect or fight for the interests of a single individual, in defiance of the law and the Constitution.)

During the impeachment trial on Wednesday, NBI Director Melvin Matibag confirmed that some members of Duterte’s security detail have been tagged as persons of interest in connection with the individual allegedly hired by the Vice President to kill Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

The NBI chief said that some of them are uniformed personnel who are still active in the uniformed services.

Castro said she is still uncertain if such information was already relayed to Marcos, but assured that it was provided to his security.

Asked if there has to be loyalty checks in the AFP, she said that there is no need for such at the moment.

“Sa ngayon po kasi ay alam ng Pangulo kung sino ang mga kailangan mapagtiwalaan. Hindi po ngayon nagkakaroon ng loyalty check. Nasa security na po ‘yan at nasa pamumuno na po ‘yan ng kasundaluhan,” the Palace official said.

(The President knows who he needs to trust. There is no loyalty check now. That is now up to his security and in the leadership of the military.) — RSJ, GMA News