Marcos lauds gov’t intelligence services

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. lauded the effectiveness of his administration’s intelligence services, crediting them with foiling recent destabilization attempts and coup plots against him.

In a media interview at the Metropolitan Theater on Tuesday, Marcos Jr. was asked about the effectiveness of the intelligence services, particularly considering the reported quick neutralization of threats.

“We have indeed strengthened our intelligence services and response better than it was before,” Marcos responded, highlighting the evolving threats the country faces.

“There are a lot of threats that must be watched. So, yes we have been doing a good job,” Marcos Jr. added.

While acknowledging their success, the President cautioned against discussing specifics and urged the public to avoid directly addressing these concerns.

He further emphasized the focus on external threats, suggesting they pose a greater concern compared to internal ones.

“I think we shouldn’t be talking about intelligence services because they’re supposed to be clandestine,” Marcos said.

He then shifted the focus to his administration’s accomplishments, claiming, “We get things done. We get more things done than most other people.”

In order to enhance the “agency’s intelligence gathering and analysis to ensure national security and promote national interest,” Marcos reorganized the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency last month with Executive Order 54.

The Office of the Deputy Director General for Cyber and Emerging Threats has been established as part of NICA’s reorganization. Its primary responsibility is to oversee and plan overall efforts related to “counter-intelligence and counter-measures against cybersecurity threats, weapons of mass destruction, and other emerging threats.”