MANILA, Philippines — For Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, it would be better if Vice President Leni Robredo will not take part in anti-narcotics operations because of the risks.
After Robredo accepted Malacañang’s offer for her to join anti-drug operations, the Palace, as well as the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), dared her to join actual operations so she will understand what is happening on the ground.
“I gave her an invitation so she’ll know that what she’s saying that nobody should die in anti-illegal drug operations is impossible,” PDEA Chief Aaron Aquino said.
READ: PDEA, Palace dare Leni Robredo to join drug raids
But Guevarra said the presence of Robredo in actual operations may endanger not only her life, but also the lives of the other law enforcers.
“Baka ma-endanger ‘yung sarili niya saka magiging intindihin pa siya. Madi-distract ‘yung attention ng law enforcement kung andun ang Vice President (Leni Robredo) na kailangan nilang protektahan habang nagko–conduct ng raid,” Guevarra told reporters.
(Her presence in antinarcotics operations might put her in danger. She will be a cause of concern for the operatives who may be distracted by the presence of the Vice President while conducting a raid.)
“Kaya better ‘wag na lang (It would be better if she didn’t come along). She can monitor [the operations] in some other way,” Guevarra added.
The DOJ is part of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD), the group in the frontline of the President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.
The ICAD’s chair is the head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and that is Aaron Aquino. Its members are from the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of National Defense (DND), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Customs (BOC), Bureau of Immigration (BI), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC). /je