President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. attends the 2nd Philippine National Police Command Conference for the year 2024 at PNP Multi-Purpose Center, Camp Crame, Quezon City on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. Yummie Dingding, PPA pool/File 

MANILA — A police official said that a security command conference led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Camp Crame on Thursday was not a "loyalty check" amid the political tensions between the leader and Vice President Sara Duterte.

Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson BGen. Jean Fajardo said the meeting was not related to the rift between Marcos and Duterte, noting that it had been scheduled long before the recent political drama.

“There’s no need to conduct a loyalty check,” Fajardo said. “Time and again, we keep on saying that the PNP will remain loyal to the Constitution and to our duly constituted authorities.”

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Fajardo said the conference was the third National Peace and Order Council (NPOC) meeting chaired by the President this year.

The discussions focused on concerns for the upcoming 2025 midterm elections, the regional and national peace and order situation, and the investigation of high-profile cases, among others.

Also present at the meeting were Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, PNP chief General Rommel Francisco Marbil, and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr.

A separate PNP command conference was presided over by Marcos after his meeting with officials from the government’s security cluster.

“Hindi tayo puwedeng maapektuhan ng mga political noise and other bickerings,” Fajardo said.

(We cannot be distracted by political noise or bickering.)

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“At ang PNP po ay nakatutok po sa kanilang mandato po lalong-lalo po ngayon na habang papalapit ang holiday season at after January din, we also expect the conduct ng major events. So, nakatutok po lahat po ang PNP dito sa pagbabantay po ng kaayusan at kapayapaan po sa buong bansa po natin,” she continued.

(The PNP is focused on its mandate, especially with the holiday season approaching. After January, we also anticipate major events that require our full attention to maintain order and peace across the country.)

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