Leni Robredo in anti-drug campaign doomed from the start, says lawmaker

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—It was doomed from the start.

All the ingredients needed for Vice President Leni Robredo’s appointment to a key role in the war on drugs to go haywire had been there from day one, according to Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez.

Rodriguez said while sacking Robredo as co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Illegal Drugs (ICAD) was “rather unfortunate,” it was like a whirlwind marriage headed for divorce from the start.

“President Duterte’s experiment in appointing her was doomed from the start,” Rodriguez said.

He said Robredo’s political ties and her different approach to fighting the country’s drug problem may have been the factors that led to her termination as ICAD co-chair barely three weeks after Duterte appointed her to the post.

“The VP is leader of the opposition, a lawyer and an advocate of human rights,” said Rodriguez.

“Her views on the anti illegal drugs campaign will certainly be diametrically opposed to the current thrusts of the administration,” he added.

The President’s “All Boy’s Club,” Rodriguez said, “was worried, to say the least, of her entry into the picture.”

“To them her appointment was totally unacceptable. So it’s now business as usual,” the legislator said.

Police in Central Mindanao said they would continue doing their job in the war on drugs whoever sat as new ICAD co-chair.

Police, said Lt. Col. Mardy Hortilosa, regional police spokesperson, “will respect the decision of higher authorities.”

“The regional office will continue to work everyday to protect the people,” he said.

Edited by TSB