Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla clarified on Tuesday that the ongoing police presence near Vice President Sara Duterte’s residence in Davao City is part of standard security procedures and not a targeted operation against her or her family.
Speaking at a press conference at Camp Crame in Quezon City, Remulla explained that law enforcement personnel are stationed in the area on a regular basis to secure both the Vice President’s residence and adjacent establishments.
“Sa bahay nila sa Davao, laging may police presence sa labas ng bahay, and that’s because of the establishment katabi niya… So hindi ‘yan that night lang, every day ‘yan: nagbabantay sa residence nila,” Remulla said.
The DILG chief issued the clarification following public concerns raised by Duterte regarding the safety of her family. The Vice President previously claimed that her mother and children experienced harassment at their family home in Davao City.
Categorically denying the allegations, Remulla maintained that the police deployment was never meant to harass or intimidate the Vice President’s household, noting that law enforcement personnel did not step foot inside the property.
“Never did we enter her house to harass her mother or her children. Gabi-gabi naman andiyan talaga ‘yan (police presence), just to provide deterrents kung may gustong mangyari kay Vice President,” Remulla stressed.
Remulla emphasized that the security detail is neither an extraordinary measure nor a one-time operation, but a routine deployment maintained in relation with established safety protocols.
He reiterated that the core responsibility of the police force is to maintain peace and order and safeguard the public, including the Vice President and her family, and urged against misinterpreting routine security operations as acts of intimidation.