Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin defended the exclusion of Vice President Sara Duterte from the restructured National Security Council (NSC), saying the Vice President’s role is “not considered relevant” to the council’s responsibilities at the moment.
Under Executive Order (EO) No. 81 signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Dec. 30, 2024, the NSC was reorganized to streamline its membership. The Vice President was removed as part of efforts to focus on officials directly involved in national security.
“At the moment, the Vice President is not considered relevant to the responsibilities of membership in the NSC,” Bersamin said, emphasizing the reorganization aims to make the council more effective in addressing security challenges.
Although the EO reserves to the President the authority to add members or advisers, if deemed necessary, Bersamin clarified there is currently no pressing need for the Vice President’s participation in the NSC.
Vice President Duterte responded with a strongly worded statement questioning her removal, describing the move as lacking transparency and legal justification. She called for an explanation and requested records of all NSC meetings since the start of her term in June 2022.
Critics of the decision argue that the Vice President, as a high-ranking official, should naturally be involved in matters of national security.
However, administration officials maintain the NSC’s restructuring was designed to prioritize roles directly tied to security, defense, and foreign policy.
