President Marcos on Tuesday lauded the government’s intelligence services and their response to looming national security threats such as an alleged destabilization plot against his administration.
“Their work is okay, but I feel like they focus more on externalthreats rather than internal ones because we see those as more serious,” Mr. Marcos said in an ambush interview.
The President vowed to continue intensifying intelligence services to combat threats against national security.
“We really strengthened our intelligence service. It’s much better now because many new things need to be monitored,” he said.
Asked if he considered himself a strong leader, in contrast toPresident Rodrigo Duterte’s previous tirades calling him a ‘weakleader’, Mr. Marcos said he gets things done and that is what matters to him.
“We are able to accomplish more than most other people. So, I believe that’s the most important thing… The important thing is, we’re here to serve. As long as we can do that, then we’re effective. And that’s what matters,” the President said.
Last month, Mr. Marcos signed Executive Order No. 54, restructuring the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) to bolster its “intelligence gathering and analysis” capabilities in safeguarding national security and interests.
This involved establishing the Office of the Deputy Director General (ODDG) for Cyber and Emerging Threats, dedicated to planning and strategizing countermeasures against cyber threats, weapons of mass destruction, and other emerging dangers.
