Robredo to drug czar appointment critics:  Bring it up with Duterte

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo said those who are resenting her appointment as co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) should raise the matter before  President Rodrigo Duterte.

Robredo admitted being surprised whenever she would hear concerns from other ICAD members through media, saying that no problems are being raised during their meetings.

“Kung mayroon mang resentment sa aking appointment as co-chair, palagay ko dapat hindi sa akin iyon i-raise, kasi hindi ko naman hiningi iyong posisyon na ito,” Robredo told reporters.

(If there is any resentment in my appointment as co-chair, I think they should not raise it to me because I did not ask for this position.)

“Tingin ko kailangan iyong i-raise sa Pangulo, kasi siya naman iyong makakapagsabi kung ano iyong intent ng pag-designate sa akin na co-chair,” she added.

(I think they need to raise it before the President since he is the one who can say what his intention in designating me as co-chair.)

Asked about “trust issues” between her and her co-chairperson, PDEA chief Director General Aaron Aquino, Robredo said she has “no choice” but to trust her colleagues as well as the system.

“Noong tinanggap ko iyong trabaho, ang parating… ang parating presumption, na lahat kami nandoon para gawin iyong trabaho namin the best way we can, regardless of our differences, regardless of our political inclinations,” she said.

(When I accepted the job, the presumption  is that we are there to do our jobs the best way we can, regardless of our differences, regardless of our political inclinations.)

Aquino earlier said there is no need for Robredo to obtain a list of high-value targets (HVT) as she had reportedly requested.

The PDEA chief later said he is willing to present the classified list of high-value drug targets, but only in a closed-door meeting.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, meanwhile, said that Duterte has “reservations” about Robredo handling classified information on the government’s drug war.

Despite this, however, Panelo said Duterte still trusts Robredo.

“Yes, there’s still [trust]. [We’re] still waiting for her program, how will she perform her job,” Panelo said.

“Sa akin kung wala silang tiwala, bakit nila ako dinesignate? Kasi dinesignate nila ako as co-chair ng ICAD, isa sa mga kailangan kong gawin, masigurado na yung nasa listahan na mga high-value targets mahuli,” Robredo said.

(If they do not trust me, then why did they designate me the ICAD post? Because if they designated me as co-chair of ICAD, one of my tasks is to ensure that those in the list will be apprehended.)

Edited by GSG