MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte hit opposition senators anew for their “stupid remarks” on the government’s campaign against drugs following the dismissal of Vice President Leni Robredo as co-chairperson of the Inter-agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD).
“Stupid remarks coming from empty head,” Duterte said in an interview with CNN Philippines when asked for his reaction to opposition senators Francis Pangilinan and Risa Hontiveros’ comments regarding his decision to dismiss Robredo as anti-drug czar.
Pangilinan earlier said that the dismissal of Robredo showed the administration’s failure to honor its word, saying: “Sa katunayan, yung palpak na war on drugs ginawa nilang war on VP.”
(In fact, they turned the failed war on drugs into a war on VP Robredo.)
“Anong palpak? (What failure) The war on drugs is a continuing one in all countries even in America. You know that,” Duterte said.
“If you’re not stupid, do not pretend to be stupid… It is a never-ending war,” the President continued.
Duterte said that when he came to Manila following his election as the country’s President, he expected everyone is working well.
“I did not know, when I arrived, when I got to look into the records sa drug cases, then I realized that I was fighting against my own government because the police, the Customs, and everybody else were dipping their dirty fingers into it,” Duterte said.
“Eh kayong dito sa Maynila, senador kayo hindi niyo alam, e di lalo na ko. I am limited to local matters. I do not interfere,” he added.
Duterte said that the senators should have already known about the irregularities surrounding the country’s problems with drugs, citing the recent drug issues linked to the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the New Bilibid Prison.
“Anong palpak? Kailan naging palpak? Kayo ang palpak. Hindi man ako ma-palpak because there was a challenge,” Duterte said.
During his bid for presidency, Duterte promised to get rid of the country’s problem in corruption, drugs, and criminality in three to six months.