Robredo mum on De Lima arrest order but hits Duterte’s war on drugs

Vice President Leni Robredo (File photo by GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE/Philippine Daily Inquirer)

As of Thursday evening, Vice President Leni Robredo has not made a comment on the arrest warrant issued against fellow Liberal Party member Sen. Leila de Lima.

But she gave her most scathing criticism yet on the Duterte administration’s war on drugs, urging the people to “demand government transparency” in the bloody campaign and reminding them that “brutality to be the defining character of our young democracy.”

Robredo made her comments at a forum on the government’s war on drugs and human rights at the De La Salle University (DLSU) College of Law in commemoration of the 30th death anniversary of nationalist and democracy icon, Sen. Jose “Ka Pepe” Diokno, who was arrested along with the martyred Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., soon after Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law on Sept. 21, 1972.

“Something is happening to our country, and if the late Sen. Pepe Diokno – a known reform and human rights advocate – was here with today, I do not know if he would be pleased,” Robredo said.

The Vice President said people should “demand greater transparency in the government’s war on drugs.”

“Because this is a major, publicly funded campaign, it behooves our leaders to be honest about the basis of the drug war,” she said.

The scope of the drug problem and the statistics enumerated by President Rodrigo Duterte himself has been inconsistent, she noted.

“Any campaign against illegal drugs must be founded on integrity,” Robredo said.

Robredo expressed concern over the seeming indifference and desensitization of the public with the rising death toll from the war against drugs.

She was also concerned that “injustice is becoming” commonplace because of the unsolved murders.

“We can quickly become accustomed to the idea that justice is unattainable,” she said. “Do not let this happen. Never let the horror of summary executions assume the privilege of normalcy, and do not permit brutality to be the defining character of our young democracy.”

Robredo said the times now call for each Filipino “to be brave and discerning, especially in the face of intimidation and force.”

“We must stand up to those who wish to oppress us and curtail our liberties, to those who want to deprive us of our rights. Above all, we must stand with those who cannot defend themselves,” she said. /atm