MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Leni Robredo is urging members of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) to work together in spite of their differences and varying viewpoints on the war against illegal drugs.
Robredo, who met with ICAD officials for the first time on Friday, said she believes they have the same goal despite various approaches in solving the issue of illegal drugs.
“Again, thank you all for coming. I would like to believe that despite our differences, iisa lang naman iyong hangarin natin. Ang hangarin natin, maging matagumpay iyong kampanya laban sa ilegal na droga,” she told the ICAD members in her opening address.
(I would like to believe that despite our differences, we have the same goal, which is a successful campaign against illegal drugs).
“Having said that, I would also like to believe that people expect us to go beyond the differences, and for us to work together. Kasi sa pagkakaisa, nandoon naman iyong mas madaling makamtan natin iyong ating minimithi na tagumpay sa ating paglaban sa droga,” she added.
(I would like to believe that despite our differences, we only have a single goal, and that is for the success of the campaign against illegal drugs. Having said that, I would like to believe that people expect us to go beyond the differences, and for us to work together. In unity, we can achieve our aspirations easier.)
Robredo, who is seen as the leader of the political opposition, has been vocal about her concerns with the killings linked to the government’s war on drugs — even saying that the chance to save lives was her primary consideration in accepting the President’s offer to co-chair ICAD.
Earlier, Robredo reiterated her call to scrap “Oplan Tokhang” and adopt a new campaign against illegal drugs. /muf
READ: Robredo calls for scrapping of ‘Oplan Tokhang’