Vice President Sara Duterte and her family left the country for Germany despite the destruction caused by Typhoon Carina and monsoon rains in the Philippines. On an Emirates flight from Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, Vice President Duterte, her mother Elizabeth Zimmerman, husband Mans Carpio, and their three children traveled to Munich, Germany via Dubai.
“We made reservations and planned the vacation to Germany well in advance. This was not an impulsive trip. A representative from the Office of the Vice President said, The family is simply following through on their pre-planned trip.”
The Zimmerman family will pay visits to their relatives. German-born Elizabeth Zimmerman, the first wife of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, was once a flight attendant.
The third State of the Nation Address (SONA) given by President Marcos on July 22 was not attended by Vice President Duterte. Her announcement on July 11 that she would not be attending the SONA, along with her designation as a “designated survivor,” was taken as a threat by certain lawmakers.
To guarantee leadership continuity in the event of a catastrophic event, a designated survivor in the United States is a Cabinet official who misses the President’s State of the Union Address.
Duterte’s security detail was recently scaled back by the Philippine National Police (PNP). 31 police officers and seven officials are still assigned to her security, according to PNP Chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil.
The Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG) assigned to Duterte disclosed that seventy-five of its personnel were relieved without cause. The Vice President may still ask for more protection when necessary, Gen. Marbil assured.
Duterte is presently under the protection of 106 police officers in all. As reported by the Commission on Audit, this represents a decrease from the 433 employees she had in 2022—a notable rise from the 78 employees under then-Vice President Leni Robredo’s final full term.
In order to strengthen their ground presence in Metro Manila, the reassigned forces will now be a part of the National Capital Region Police Office. According to Gen. Marbil, 225 of the 640 police personnel who have been relocated to Metro Manila are from the PSPG.
