Not a big issue

From the day Robredo was fired, all she has done is to keep on postponing her supposed report on the drug war and even now, she has again postponed the release of her report to January.

Good grief! It’s been some time since Vice President Leni Robredo was fired from her 18-day job as co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD), yet she still has to bring up that same claim of hers that Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Aaron Aquino had urged her to stay on as ICAD chair but now denies it.

Robredo virtually slammed Aquino, insisting that he suddenly changed his story on asking her to stay on as co-chair of ICAD, saying during her weekly radio show that she had goosebumps upon reading Aquino’s statement denying he urged the Vice President to stay in the committee.

Here’s what she said in her radio show: “Actually, I got goosebumps when I read the statement. When he said that to me, there were many who were listening in his office. We were at a long table with the entire PDEA board. I was beside my chief of staff. I am sure they heard him say that.”

As though the issue — if it is even an issue — was so earthshaking, Robredo went on to say that she can’t understand why Aquino has to deny what he said when there were many who had heard him say it.

“What does this say about his personality? That he can bluntly lie? But that is his problem, not mine. It is disappointing… He was molded to be a model,” Robredo added. So, if it is Aquino’s problem, why bother with it, Leni?

What’s with Leni and her constant complaint over an old issue — if it ever was an issue? Doesn’t she have anything important to say during her weekly radio show? But then again, she hardly says anything important or earthshaking to say, whether on radio or TV or the press as a whole.

Leni, whether or not Aquino asked you to stay on the job is immaterial and unimportant. You were fired from the job the President had appointed you to do. You had to go. So, why should a statement from Aquino, even if he denies it, be so important to you? You were fired, and you left. Who cares what Aquino said or has not said?

But why does Leni focus on this subject? She would have done better had she spoken instead of her promised report to the nation on her suggestions to improve the way the war against drugs is being waged.

If Robredo has nothing to say, it would be better if she doesn’t say anything at all. But she keeps this up, now saying that she would release the report late December or January next year. She has been using the earthquake that struck Mindanao as her excuse.

Robredo had originally planned to release her recommendations for an improved anti-drug campaign last 16 December, but put it off to keep the country’s focus on the quake and its victims.

She still continues with her delaying game — but for what reason, especially when Filipinos aren’t waiting for her report with bated breath?

Besides, the latest poll results show that some 80 percent of Filipinos approve of Duterte’s handling of the war on drugs.

From the day Robredo was fired, all she has done is to keep on postponing her supposed report on the drug war and even now, she has again postponed the release of her report to January. It’s tiresome talk and nobody is really that interested in reading her report, if it is ever released.

One wonders why Leni thinks the nation is waiting with bated breath to hear her report on how to improve the war on drugs, which she wants to become bloodless. It really is an old issue — that is if she believes this is an issue at all, which it is not. The general public hardly cares if you release your report or not at all, Leni. Whatever you say, by way of recommendations, is not expected to be earthshaking, that’s for sure.

The truth of her claim that PDEA chief Aaron Aquino urged her to stay on as their drug czarina followed by his denial of what she said he said to her in front of the other heads of agencies is not even newsworthy nor relevant at this time. But then again, there is hardly any news these days, being the Christmas season when everybody is expected to be nice and not naughty.

So, I’ll be nice to Leni this Christmas Day, and don’t get the goosebumps when I say, Merry Christmas to you, Leni Robredo. And a very Merry Christmas to all my readers!