VP folds on drug dare

Reuters fairly and accurately represented the statements of Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo and we stand by our story.

Vice President Leni Robredo turned tails and evaded the dare of President Rodrigo Duterte for her to take charge of the government’s anti-narcotics campaign for six months even as Malacañang reiterated that the President made a serious offer.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a press briefing that the President has offered an opportunity for the Vice President to prove her mettle when it comes to governance.

“The offer is precisely for the Vice President to be the drug czar because as the President said, you appear to have the solutions so let us see these,” Panelo said.

Robredo found, instead, the remark of Mr. Panelo as an insult as she indicated public servants should focus on finding solutions to the country’s problems “instead of spewing insults to one another.”

“That’s a challenge to her and I think she should take the opportunity. After all, when we launched the drug war by the President, she was a member of the Cabinet and she was in full accord and in full support of the same,” he added.

For the Palace official, whether or not the Chief Executive said the offer in jest, the challenge for the Vice President to step up still stands.

“The ball is in her court. If I were in her place, I would accept, because this is a rare opportunity for a critic to get an opportunity to show her mettle and at the same time help the government,” Panelo averred.

“If she declines, it only shows it is not true that this war on drugs is a failure and that there should be other measures that should be taken to stop it,” he added.

House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano yesterday said he will support Mr. Duterte’s challenge to Robredo to lead the war on drugs and that she can count on Congress’ backing if she becomes the drug czar provided “she will make clear” her six-month program.

“I am supporting the challenge of the President and I am giving my support to the Vice President if she takes the rein for six months, but she should make known what her program is,” she noted.

Mr. Duterte earlier announced that he will give Robredo power over the anti-drug war of the government following the latter’s criticisms against it.

News wire agency Reuters, meanwhile, issued a statement disputing the claim of Robredo that she did not say that it is time for Mr. Duterte to halt the “failed drug war.”

“Reuters fairly and accurately represented the statements of Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo and we stand by our story published on 23 October,” Reuters Asia Pacific communications manager Tyler Thia said in a statement.

Robredo denied proposing to halt the flagship campaign of the President claiming that her suggestion was to “tweak” the program, but a transcript of the Reuters interview showed that she used the phrase “not to continue” when asked about the drug war.

For former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and now Senator Ronald de la Rosa, who led the administration’s drug war until 2018, the President should maintain focus on the war on drugs instead of giving it to an official “who has no experience in dealing with such campaign.”

“I don’t want our country to become another Mexico. So PRRD (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) should tighten his grip on the drug situation instead of leasing his power to anybody who has no proven track record in crime-fighting especially in the arena of drugs,” De la Rosa said.

Robredo also told Reuters the government should consider a health-based approach in curbing drug addiction as she called for a reassessment of the drug war.

Cayetano took a swipe at Robredo and questioned her as to the health-based approach she was proposing on curbing addition.

“To the Vice President, make your proposal very clear, define what is your health-based approach and how will it apply to elementary, high school (students), how will it apply to criminals who fight back, how will it apply to judges, mayors and governors who are into drugs,” he said.

Cayetano further appealed to other officials to do the same.

“My call particularly to those in government is for them to come up with clear, simple and executable ideas to solve our country’s problems,” he added.

If she has a good proposal, Cayetano said the President will surely stick to his word and give Robredo powers to lead the anti-narcotics campaign.

“That is my dare to the Vice President. You wanted a chance to introduce changes to the drug war so tell us now what do you plan to do if given six months?”

Cayetano further defended the President and said he is not merely tossing the narcotics problem to Robredo. “If you consider his statements during the campaign, he made it clear that stamping out the narcotics scourge is his responsibility,” the Speaker recalled.

The President even claimed he is ready to be imprisoned or be killed in resolving the problem.

Senators are divided on Mr. Duterte’s challenge to Robredo. Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who served as a chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), said the President should make Robredo the chief of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) or the DDB.

“If it’s a serious proposal, it’s best if the VP (Vice President) is appointed as DDB chair and concurrent PDEA Director-General,” Sotto said in a Viber message.

For Senators Panfilo Lacson and Win Gatchalian, Mr. Duterte has the prerogative to authorize Robredo to take charge of the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.

“Only the President can wield sufficient authority and power over our law enforcement officials. Unless he delegates a blanket authority, including the power to hire and fire, no one else in the government bureaucracy can do it better than the Chief Executive under any other given circumstances,” Lacson, a former PNP chief, said.

Lacson noted that Mr. Duterte “is easily peeved” when critics are taking potshots at the administration’s policies including the programs on the elimination of illegal drugs and corruption which the senator underscored as the President’s “campaign platform.”

On the other hand, opposition lawmaker Risa Hontiveros slammed the President’s recent remarks, urging Mr. Duterte to give Robredo the law enforcement powers on his three remaining years instead of the six-month proposed period.