OPINION | An attempt on Sara’s life?

November 29, 2024 , 04:18 PM

By Manny Mogato

(November 29, 2024) — When Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio threatened to kill the president, the first lady, and the speaker of the lower house of Congress, she said it was a form of revenge because there was also a threat to her life.

The vice president claimed a member of the Presidential Security Command (PSC) had attempted to kill her, but the police and other law enforcement agencies did not investigate the incident.

In fairness to the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the two law enforcement agencies never received any report about an attempt to kill the vice president or any physical threat against her.

It was impossible for the authorities not to respond to any incident involving the vice president. They would not ignore it.

It was strange that her security details, under Colonel Raymund Dante Lachica and Colonel Dennis Nolasco, did not report any unusual incident at the Office of the Vice President.

They also did not coordinate with the PNP, NBI, or the Armed Forces of the Philippines, particularly the Presidential Security Command, about the attempted murder of the vice president.

Nobody heard about it except the vice president.

Colonels Lachica and Nolasco had more than 300 security personnel under their command, and they couldn’t notice anything wrong with the vice president’s safety.

They must be sleeping on their jobs. They failed Sara Duterte-Carpio.

The vice president’s security officers kept a log book on her activities, noting who visited her and the date and time of the visit.

Her security detail also has a program of her official activities within the office and outside when she makes out-of-town trips.

Everything is listed down. Nothing escapes from Sara’s security detail.

Thus, it would be impossible for her security detail to report if someone had attempted to kill her or if someone had threatened her.

It was also unusual for Sara to not inform her security about the threats she had received if she felt it would be carried out.

It was also impossible for her security not to report the threats and make a written report about an incident.

But nothing was reported. There needed to be a written report. There needed to be coordination.

Strangely, it was only Sara who talked about the threats and the attempt on her life. It was echoed by social media influencers and her blind followers.

Her security was silent about it.

If it was confirmed a PSC member had attempted to kill her, where is this PSC member now?

If the attempt failed, the would-be killer must have been arrested or have been killed. Yet, there was no sign of the would-be assassin. Nobody knows if there was indeed a would-be assassin.

Again, there was no report about the mysterious PSC member. Did the PSC member evaporate in the air?

A physical threat and an attempted assassination of the vice president should not be taken lightly. It is serious, disturbing, and alarming.

But should the authorities and the public believe Sara Duterte-Carpio when her security personnel knew nothing about it?

She had demanded the PNP to look into the threats against her. But, before an inquiry begins, there must be a basis for it.

The investigation must start at Sara’s office, with the people around her, and with her security details.

Did they fail to report the threat and the attempt on Sara’s life?

Ironically, Sara has hundreds of millions of pesos in confidential and intelligence funds but could not prevent and identify potential threats.

If indeed there was an attempt on the life of the vice president, there must be a failure of intelligence on her security team.

Colonel Lachica and Colonel Nolasco failed the vice president. Her ‘praetorian guards’ let her down.

The views expressed by the columnist do not necessarily reflect that of the media organization.

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