For discrediting Robredo’s drug war report, De Lima calls Panelo ‘hypocritical’

MANILA, Philippines — Opposition Senator Leila de Lima on Tuesday slammed presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo whom she called “hypocritical”  for discrediting the Vice President’s drug war report.

De Lima, in a statement from her cell at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, where she is being detained for drug charges, noted how Panelo allegedly tried to  “discredit”   Vice President Leni Robredo’s report, which supposedly showed the government’s failed drug war.

“It is hypocritical of Panelo to dismiss VP Leni because she didn’t take part in any ground operations during her 18-day stint when not even the President did so in all of his 3 ½ years in office,”   the senator said.

President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Robredo as co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs  (ICAD) after the latter criticized the government’s bloody war on drugs.

However, when Robredo taunted him to just have her fired from ICAD,  Duterte  was quick to take on her challenge

“That is precisely what is wrong with this government: all politics and blusters, no substance,” De Lima said.

“Sa sobrang pamumulitika at porma, winalang bahala ang mga datos. Sa pagsantabi sa katotohanan ng War on Drugs, panalo ang mga drug lords, talo ang taumbayan. A failure indeed!”

Panelo, however, called  Robredo’s report a “dud.

But for De Lima, a former Justice secretary, Robredo’s  report was “credible and convincing.”

“VP Leni’s ICAD Report is a well-researched, data-driven and completely objective look on the President’s War on Drugs. She cited existing government data and based her conclusions on credible authorities,” said the detained senator.

De Lima said Robredo’s succeeding  statements and responses  to media following her report presentation also revealed  a “deep grasp of the real drug situation, including the gaps and shortcomings in the bureaucratic structures and strategies.”

“Her proposed directions henceforth are well thought of and doable. Credible and convincing report. VP Leni certainly knows what she’s talking about,”  she added.

Edited by MUF