Duterte mulls Robredo drug czar post until end of term
Credit to Author: THE MANILA TIMES| Date: Fri, 01 Nov 2019 01:45:08 +0000
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is inclined to extend his offer for Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo to be his drug czar until the end of his term.
In a chance interview in Davao City on Thursday night, Duterte said he would give Robredo a Cabinet position so that “she will have the authority” to take over all drug-related agencies and bureaus.
“If I would take her in as the drug czar, I will have to first make her a Cabinet member. Then, I will give her the marching orders and the specific functions. All in connection with drugs, kanya (it’s hers),” Duterte said.
“Tapos (Then), all drug cases and all things, matters in connection with drugs iyo na ‘yan hanggang katapusan ng term ko (will be yours until the end of my term),” he added.
The President, however, claimed he did not need to put his offer to Robredo in writing, something which the vice president would like to happen first before making any comment.
He also said he would no longer need to seek permission from Congress to get Robredo back in his Cabinet.
“Hindi na kailangan (It’s not necessary). I will swear her — I will swear as a Cabinet member. First, balik siya (she should return) so that she will have the authority,” Duterte said.
“Ang Cabinet members are alter ego lang ng Presidente ‘yan (of the President). So kung may gawain ang Cabinet member (if the Cabinet takes action), it is as if it is mine. So to make it legal, just a little fiat,” he added.
Duterte said Robredo was too “talkative” when it came to the drug war and “must have the answer” as she regularly criticizes it.
“Anong mabuting gawin natin? ‘Yan ang tanong ko sa kanya ngayon, eh madaldal ka sa akin (What can we do better? That’s what I ask her now since she’s more talkative than I am),” the President said.
“Sabihin mo sa kanya tanggapin niya. Sisikat siya diyan. Hindi ko nakayanan, baka kaya niya (Tell her to accept it. She’ll be famous. If I can’t do it, maybe she can),” he added.
On Monday, Duterte said he would surrender his law enforcement power to Robredo, particularly to lead the administration’s war on drugs for six months.
This came after the vice president criticized his war on drugs as “obviously, not working” and called for a United Nations investigation on the matter.
The head of the opposition, Robredo doubted the sincerity of Duterte’s offer, saying if the President’s anti-drug campaign were successful, he won’t have to delegate it.
In a statement, Palace spokesman said the President decided to give Robredo a Cabinet position to dispel all doubts on his sincerity after he initially asked her to be drug czar for only six months.
“The President renews his offer to the Vice President to become the anti-illegal drugs czar, with all offices, bureaus, agencies or government instrumentalities involved in the enforcement of the law on prohibited drugs placed under her command and supervision with a cabinet secretary portfolio, to ensure her effectiveness in combatting the drug menace,” he said.
Panelo said the President made this decision after hearing commentaries made by the opposition calling his offer “a trap” since six months was a limited time to solve the country’s drug problem.
He denied that Duterte was only offering Robredo the position to see her fail because she would lack support from anti-drug bureaus and agencies.
“We want VP Leni to succeed, her success being ultimately a triumph of the Filipino people against the dreaded and destructive evil that is destroying the basic fabric of our society,” Panelo said.
If the vice president accepts the offer, she will rejoin Duterte’s Cabinet this time to be in charge of all anti-illegal drug-related agencies.
Duterte first appointed Robredo as head of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council upon assuming power in 2016.
However, the vice president stepped down in December 2017 after being told by the Palace to “desist from attending all Cabinet meetings. CATHERINE S. VALENTE