MANILA, Philippines- Idinepensa ni Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin ang naging hakbang at desisyon ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na alisin si Vice President Sara Duterte mula sa National Security Council (NSC).
Sa press briefing sa Malakanyang, sinabi ni Bersamin na may karapatan si Pangulong Marcos at responsibilidad niya na tiyaking ang magbibigay sa kanya ng payo ay nasa loob ng kanyang buong tiwala at pagtitiwala.
“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,” ayon kay Bersamin.
“There was nothing personal with Marcos’ decision,” diving pahayag pa rin ni Bersamin.
Nauna rito, nagpalabas naman si Pangulong Marcos ng Executive Order 81, nag-organisa sa NSC.
Ang kautusan ay nag-alis kina VP Sara at sa mga dating Pangulo mula sa komposisyon ng council.
Winika pa ni Pangulong Marcos na layon ng reorganization na tiyakin na ang NSC ay mananatiling “resilient and adaptable” sa umuusbong na mga hamon sa loob at internasyonal na mga hamon, bigyang-diin ang kahalagahan na pangalagaan ang national security at soberanya para sa epektibong pamamahala at katatagan.
Samantala, kinastigo naman ni Bersamin si dating chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo nang sabihin ng huli na ang naging desisyon ni Pangulong Marcos ay “ill-advised” at hampas ng “dirty politics.”
“Another brazen measure to diminish the political star power of VP Sara and FPRRD,” ang sinabi ni Panelo sa isang kalatas.
“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,” giit pa niya.
Gayunman, sinabi pa rin ni Bersamin na: “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.”
Tinuligsa rin ng Pangulo ang naging pahayag ni dating presidential spokesman Harry Roque, na kinokonsidera ng Pangulo na magdeklara ng Batas Militar dahilan para umano’y ireorganisa ang NSC.
Binigyang-diin ni Bersamin na “malisyoso” ang pahayag ni Roque.
“Alam mo, kung iniisip mo iyan lagi, that’s malicious, ano, 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,” ang sinabi ni Bersamin.
“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,” dagdag na pahayag nito. Kris Jose
