Duterte to Robredo: You can be drug czar
Credit to Author: Catherine S. Valente, TMT| Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2019 18:13:18 +0000
President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said he would give Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo his power to enforce the law for six months and make her the drug czar following her criticisms that the war on drugs was a failure.
In his speech during the oath-taking of newly appointed officials, Duterte said he would send Robredo a letter to inform her of his decision.
“Sige lang siya (She kept on crying) human rights, human rights. As a matter of fact, I am sending a letter to her through Secretary [Salvador] Medialdea. I will surrender my powers to enforce the law, ibigay ko sa kanya mga six months. Siya ang magdala (I will give it to her for six months),” Duterte said.
“Tignan natin kung ano ang mangyari. Hindi ako makialam. Sige gusto mo? Mas bright ka? Sige. Subukan mo (Let’s see what happens. I will not interfere. You want it? You think you’re brighter than me? Try it out),” he added.
Duterte made the offer after Robredo said the government’s brutal drug war, which killed more than 6,000 Filipinos, was a failure.
Robredo, head of the opposition, recently called on Duterte to allow the United Nations to investigate his war on drugs, which she said was “obviously not working.
But the vice president on Monday clarified that she meant to urge administration leaders to “step back and assess” the narcotics crackdown.
Duterte’s spokesman Salvador Panelo earlier hit Robredo.
“With all due respect to the office she holds, the VP’s latest remarks are unquestionably bereft of factual basis and devoid of recognition of the successes that the war on illegal drugs has reaped,” Panelo said.
“She may not realize it but she is echoing the lies and black propaganda of some of her colleagues in the political opposition, which to say the least is unfortunate, especially since she was part of the Cabinet when the government’s program against the drug menace was launched,” he added.
Government data show at least 6,600 people have been killed in anti-illegal drug operations since Duterte took office in July 2016. But local and international human rights groups claim the death toll is higher.