MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Leila de Lima must be hallucinating, Malacañang said Thursday, after the detained lawmaker urged President Rodrigo Duterte to officially declare he is unable to discharge his functions as Chief Executive and let Vice President Leni Robredo takeover.
“De Lima must be hallucinating. Could be the result of her incarceration. I pity her. I’m praying for her health,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a text message.
De Lima said letting Robredo take over the presidency is the only “manly way” for him to stay true to his challenge for Robredo to take over his drug war.
The President on Monday offered the drug czar post to Robredo and to give her “full powers” to run the government’s war on drugs for six months.
“I throw back Duterte’s challenge at him. Follow the Constitution. Transmit to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives your written declaration that you are unable to discharge the powers and duties of your office, and let VP Robredo take over,” De Lima said in a statement.
READ: De Lima to Duterte: Declare you’re ‘unable to discharge functions,’ let Robredo take over
“Duterte must first relinquish his post entirely to VP Robredo, who will then be Acting President throughout the over-acting phase of Duterte’s spoiled brat persona, and not only take over law enforcement functions,” she added.
Robredo earlier called Duterte’s drug war, which has killed at least 5,000 mostly poor Filipinos, a failure. /kga