Miscalculated risks

“No matter how Robredo hides it, her position is conveniently pushing her agenda.

Probably, Malacañang may be groping in the shade over Vice President Leni Robredo’s unexpected acceptance of the anti-illegal drug post, which was offered in haste or amid a miscalculated challenge meant to humiliate the Vice President over her unsolicited criticisms against the Duterte-led bloody drug war.

Presently, the Vice President is riding high on the game of horses galloping high in media mileage, necessary for whatever ambitions she may have in 2022.

The political strategists of the opposing parties will not be sleeping over this opportunity afforded their banner carrier as she waves all over the place, putting the administration at a defensive position.

VP Robredo wants to be privy to intelligence information, which an officer of the Department of the Interior and Local Government perceives as quite disturbing since it might be used to witch-hunt law enforcers who may still have bloodied hands unwashed.

Much as the VP would like to assure that there would be no such witch hunt, we may always presume that most witches are female! (No gender slur intended.)

Soon, there would be a chorus calling for an investigation from the United Nations rapporteurs, local and global human rights commissions, from the Church and other advocacy groups that are identified as Duterte bashers.

No matter how Robredo hides it, her position is conveniently pushing her agenda. Her ardent request for a reassessment of the infamous Operation “Tokhang,” known as a notorious anti-drug strategy that rendered almost 6,000 dead on the streets since its inception is obviously a direct assault on the Duterte administration’s approach to the drug problem.

But such a myopic view of the drug problem would not in any way solve the curse of illegal drugs that this country has brought upon itself.

In due time, she would realize that the problem is more than appealing for more rehabilitation centers in order to save the lives of the drug users and small-time pushers. Inevitably, she has to dip her fingers into the haven of powerful drug lords, the cartels both local and global and for sure, dismantle the structures that made the Philippines the transshipment hub of the global drug highway, including Mexico, Brazil, even Russia and the Asian Triad.

However, how many fingers can she really dip without being slashed or dismembered? Of course, she would not go that far if her agenda is 2022!

The myopic or cosmetic view is enough for her purposes.

Furthermore, her emphatic slur on Operation “Tokhang,” as “anti-poor” may appear as a whimsical comment, but definitely can win the hearts of the majority of Filipinos, a convenient material for a political campaign in this country.

Even her invite to a Cabinet meeting in the future puts the administration in a defensive position. Cliffhanging the matter may not be palatable to those who would ask, “Why not?” Sen. Bong Go opines that it is only when the drug war is on the agenda that she would be asked to join.

However, if the drug war is indeed this administration’s flagship program, then every Cabinet meeting’s agenda should include this and of course, the mandatory presence of the Vice President. So, it is damn if you do and damn you don’t.

And more annoying, if not disturbing, was Robredo’s first move to consult with the United States and United Nations representatives to seek their help — for what, the drug problem or 2022? Or is it engaging the US against China, the indubitable source of most of the drugs in this country, as Robredo stated recently, but of course, also the source of conflicts in our sea claims — a popular issue against this pro-China administration.

Soon, the Central Intelligence Agency agents would litter our dark corners, but would lighten the path of those who would engage in the Games of Thrones in 2022, including the Vice President who, in fact, has started playing.

Someone must have miscalculated the risks.