MANILA, Philippines – Why is it taking Vice President Leni Robredo so long to divulge her supposed discoveries on the war on drugs while she was still co-chair of the Inter-agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD), presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo wondered on Thursday,
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo and Vice President Leni Robredo. INQUIRER file photos
In a Palace briefing, Panelo insisted that Robredo should have publicized her alleged findings immediately after she discovered it.
“Kung totoong meron, dapat inilabas niya na noon pa. Dahil ba meron silang ginagawang multong nililikha nila (If it is true, she should have released her findings then. Is it because they are still creating a “ghost” from it),” Panelo said.
“Kung meron kang natuklasanang hindi maganda, di ba dapat inilalabas mo na? Eh kung gagawa ka palang ng ‘di umanong natuklasan mo, it will really take time to craft (If you discovered an irregularity, you should have publicized it immediately, right? But if you’re still crafting your alleged discovery, ti will really take time to craft),” he added.
Asked if he is suggesting that the contents of the Vice President’s report are fabricated, Panelo replied: “Presumably.”
“Kung nandiyan ka ba sa loob ng gobyerno, natuklasan mo na may irregularity, you will keep your mouth shut? Of course not, immediately may presscon ka (If you’re working for the government and you stumble upon an irregularity, will you keep your mouth shut? Of course not, immediately you will hold a press conference),” he stressed.
Duterte dismissed Robredo as ICAD co-chair on Sunday, 19 days after she accepted the role to lead the administration’s brutal war on drugs.
BREAKING: Duterte fires Robredo from ICAD
Robredo, however, vowed to continue the fight and announced that she would disclose something she discovered in the course of waging her version of the war on drugs.
“In the coming days I will give a report to the people. I will reveal what I discovered and my recommendations,” Robredo said.
“I assure you that even if I was stripped of the position, my determination to stop the killings, to make those accountable pay and to win our campaign against illegal drugs remains,” she said.