Vice President Sara Duterte has called for enhanced security at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) following an incident in July where a member of the media allegedly took unauthorized footage of her and her family as they were boarding a flight to Germany.
Her office confirmed that Duterte was on a “personal trip with her family overseas” and emphasized the need for public respect for her privacy. Speaking at a Senate hearing on the proposed 2025 budget for the Office of the Vice President, Duterte revealed that the source of the footage was “a media person” assigned to cover NAIA.
“Alam namin kung sino siya. We have footage na kumukuha siya ng cellphone footage,” Duterte stated, indicating that the person was neither a passenger nor airport staff.
Duterte expressed concerns over the security breach, pointing out that if NAIA aims to be a world-class airport, its security measures should reflect that standard. She highlighted the fact that taking photos and videos is prohibited in security areas and at immigration counters, although it is allowed in public areas like boarding gates.
Her trip, although covered by government approvals and a travel authority from the Office of the President, attracted criticism as it occurred while the Philippines was facing a typhoon threat. Despite this, her office noted that the OVP had already been mobilized to assist those affected by the flooding and adverse weather.
In a related development, Duterte mentioned that she has returned all 38 Philippine National Police personnel assigned to her security detail, stating, “So there are no more PNP personnel in the Office of the Vice President.” Her security is now being handled by 337 personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.