Robredo to give more ‘spunk’ to inter-agency anti-drug body, says Sotto
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo may give more “spunk” to the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) with her as its co-chairperson, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said.
READ: Robredo accepts Duterte’s drug czar post
“Baka mas magkaroon ng spunk yung inter-agency,” Sotto told reporters on Wednesday shortly after Robredo accepted the said position offered by President Rodrigo Duterte.
(The inter-agency may be given more spunk).
Sotto said he used to head ICAD and is familiar with the agency’s inner workings.
“So medyo kabisado ko ang takbo nun. Ngayon, magkakaroon ng spunk yun, e Vice President ang co-chair, e ‘di siyempre mas dapat mag-sipag sila at mas dapat maging masigasig sila sa kanilang mga assignment,” he said.
(So I’m kind of familiar with how it was run. Now, it will have spunk, with the Vice President sitting as co-chair of course they would have to work harder and be more keen in their assignment).
Sotto said he was willing to give Robredo perspective on how the inter-agency works and where to concentrate.
READ: Senators rally support for Robredo; laud her for accepting anti-drug post
“The Vice President can start with some of the important concerns like prevention and rehabilitation. She can focus on that right away,” he said.
Asked what tips he would give Robredo, Sotto said he may have to sit down with her in a meeting and prepare a proposal if she would be interested.
“We’ll probably have to sit down, we’ll probably have to prepare a proposal if she is interested lang, I am sure she will let me know if she is interested or not. Kung hindi naman, manonood na lang tayo,” he said.
(We’ll probably have to sit down, we’ll probably have to prepare a proposal only if she’s interested, I am sure she will let me know if she is interested or not. If not, we’ll just watch).
Sotto, meanwhile, said Robredo should not believe pronouncements that there are political motives behind the President’s offer.
“Hindi totoo yun. Huwag siyang maniwala doon sa mga advice na ganun. Yung mga adviser na ganun, ang dapat hindi adviser ang tawag, kundi mga grave diggers sapagkat ang gusto ng VP, makatulong, ito ang pinakamagandang paraan para makatulong,” he said.
(That’s not true. She should not believe in those kind of advice. Those advisers should not be called advisers but grave diggers because what the VP wants is to help, this is the best way to help).
