MANILA, Philippines – Unless the President delegates a blanket authority, only he can ideally lead the war on drugs, Senator Panfilo Lacson said when sought for comment on President Rodrigo Duterte’s challenge to critic and Vice President Leni Robredo to lead the drug war for at least six months.
“Only the President can wield sufficient authority and power over our law enforcement officials,” Lacson, who previously headed the Philippine National Police, said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Unless he delegates a blanket authority, including the power to hire and fire, no one else in the government bureaucracy can do it better than the chief executive under any other given circumstances.”
“Having said that, the President is easily peeved when his administration’s top priorities such as eliminating illegal drugs and corruption which he used as his campaign platform become the subject of criticisms,” Lacson added.
Lacson was apparently referring to Robredo’s remark that the government’s war on drugs is not working, noting the rising number of drug addicts in the country.
“If you started with 1.4 million and it ballooned to seven to eight million despite the campaign, something is not working,” she said in a recent interview.
READ:Robredo: I said reassess – not stop – drug war
In response, Duterte, on Monday said: I will surrender my powers to enforce the law. I will give it to the Vice President. I will give it to her for six months.
“Let’s see what will happen. I will not interfere. You want it? You’re more bright? Then try it,” he said. /gsg
READ:Duterte dares Robredo: Lead drug war