Avoiding a Robredo

Robredo wasted the opportunity to work with the Duterte administration in improving the crackdown on illegal drugs.

The criteria for the next Philippine National Police (PNP) chief that President Rody Duterte stated appear to have a direct reference to the just relieved anti-drugs czar Leni Robredo.

Rody said choosing the next head of the police force is taking time since he wanted somebody who can eliminate drug lords from the country, which is Duterte speak for completing the war on drugs.

The President said he will not pick from a roster just for the sake of filling an empty government post because he is expecting a “better deal.”

“They are all good. I want a better deal. It is not enough that you recommend to me,” Rody said of the trio in the list submitted to him, composed of PNP officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa; Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan, deputy chief for operations; and Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, former Metro Manila police director and now head of the directorial staff.

The only requirement given by Rody was a guarantee that the applicant can eliminate all narcotics traffickers within his term.

Since Robredo was making a lot of noise against the war on drugs saying that it failed and “should not continue,” he handed over the reins to the campaign to her believing that she has something new to offer.

There was none except for more talks and a sinister effort to collect ammunitions that will later be used against Rody.

Rody said he was willing to lead the police force himself if he felt like none of the contenders would make the cut. That was to indicate his determination in putting the final touches to the war on drugs, which has been practically won based on the 82 percent view from the public that communities have been better as a result of it.

The fears Rody expressed that led him to terminate Robredo were also those which have kept him from making a final decision on the next PNP leader.

In a morning television interview, Rody said he felt the need to stop Robredo from making a fool of herself that was the reason for her removal.

The longer she stays, the more chances for her to mess up, Rody indicated.

“Leni keeps on harping on so many things, so I said ‘Why don’t you just join us?’” Duterte said.

She did and her first moves were to meet with foreign representatives while asking the members of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) that she heads to deliver to her the list of high-value drug traffickers.

Rody appointed Robredo as anti-drug czarina on 31 October. The posting gave her the title co-chair of ICAD in tandem with Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron Aquino.

She was supposed to oversee the implementation of all policies, laws and issuances on the government’s anti-narcotics campaign.

Under the memorandum order for her appointment, the PDEA, the PNP and the Dangerous Drugs Board and all other law enforcement agencies were directed to extend their “full assistance and cooperation” to Robredo to ensure the success of anti-narcotics campaign.

Two weeks into her new position, Robredo and her yellow backers were issuing taunts to the President to remove her from her post if he did not trust her completely.

Instead of focusing on the job, Robredo wasted the “opportunity” to work with the Duterte administration in improving the crackdown on illegal drugs, according to the Palace.

Apparently wary of making another judgement slip, Rody is now thoroughly looking into the records of top police officials to determine who has the capability of not doing a Robredo.

As the remaining three years of his term wind down, there would be little space for mistakes in Rody’s ultimate effort of leaving Filipinos with a life immensely better from when he found it.