Leni’s better option

Her call for the Philippines to enforce its maritime claims showed her being out of touch with the progress of relations between both neighbors.

Action has put to shame queen of detraction Vice President Leni Robredo who utters nonsense, seeking only to keep herself in the media limelight but in the process reinforcing perceptions of her detachment from reality.

Reuters, the news agency that is a usual yellow outlet of anything anti-Duterte, disowned her after Robredo issued a denial that she wanted the war on drugs halted since it was a failure.

The news outfit issued a statement saying that it fairly reported what Robredo had said and it was standing by the report it made.

Amazingly, she refused to stop after the humiliation from the Reuters interview and the subsequent backtrack after President Rody Duterte challenged her to take over the anti-narcotics campaign for six months.

Robredo evaded Rody’s offer on the pretext that it was made as an “insult” after presidential spokesman Sal Panelo sent it to her through a text message.

She resumed her jabbering, demanding that China recognize the country’s “ownership” of the disputed territories before entering in an exploration contract with them.

“That should be one of our most basic demands: that before we enter into a contract with them, they recognize first our ownership and our sovereignty over those areas,” Robredo indicated.

Similar to the call for the anti-narcotics campaign to be halted, the ridiculous demand on China will bring back the administration’s efforts to improve ties with the Asian powerhouse to zero.

Robredo is apparently acting to impress some powerful overlords who are likely the drug cartel and the Western powers who wanted to either halt the anti-narcotics offensive and to contain China while convincing both to pour in more efforts and resources in ousting Rody.

A reversal in the current thrust of the administration would put to waste the huge progress achieved in restoring mutual respect in the disputed areas with a Code of Conduct involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations almost completed.

The latest meeting of the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) on the West Philippine Sea also resulted in encouraging developments which led to the firming up of agreements made during the meetings between President Xi Jinping and Rody.

The BCM is the platform for regular dialogue to maintain peace and stability in the region.

Both sides agreed on maritime cooperation initiatives, covering maritime search and rescue, maritime safety, and marine research or marine environment protection and fisheries cooperation.

The creation of the BCM is an unprecedented progress in upgrading the relations between both countries as it provided a regular venue to discuss developing frictions.

Similar to the demand to stop the war on drugs that is a disconnect with the 82 percent public support it gets, her call for the Philippines to enforce its maritime claims showed her being out of touch with the progress of relations between both neighbors.

The bottom line is Robredo is better off shutting her trap.