Marcos purge of Dutertes all about sidelining China

MANILA – Ahead of US President-elect Donald Trump’s assumption of power, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has purged the country’s most powerful pro-Beijing figures from the National Security Council (NSC).

In an Executive Order (EO) signed in the final hours of 2024, Marcos Jr instructed the removal of both Vice President Sara Duterte and former President Rodrigo Duterte from the country’s top national security decision-making body. Other Duterte-friendly political figures were also purged from the security agency.

Meanwhile, Marcos Jr expanded the presence of key figures from the Philippine Congress, which is headed by his cousin and right-hand man, House Speaker Martin Romualdez. The Malacañang Palace justified the move due to the “need to further guarantee that the NSC remains a resilient national security institution, capable of adapting to evolving challenges and opportunities both domestically and internationally.”

Crucially, the newly signed executive order also underscored the necessity of “ensur[ing] that its council members uphold and protect national security and sovereignty, thereby fostering an environment conducive to effective governance and stability.”

The high-stakes decision comes on the heels of hot and festering disputes between the Dutertes and Marcoses, with Vice President Sara Duterte even publicly threatening the life of the incumbent if she were to be assassinated while former President Duterte has insulted and even agitated for a potential coup against his democratically elected successor.

The NSC reshuffle also comes ahead of a potentially seismic transformation of the Philippine-US alliance, as a seemingly more hawkish second Trump administration is expected to corral allies in an