PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, October 28, challenged Vice President Leni Robredo to serve as the anti-illegal drugs czar for six months instead of verbally attacking the administration's war on drugs.
Duterte said he will give Robredo full power over all anti-illegal drug activities. He said he wants to see whether Robredo is capable of putting an end to the problem.
He said he will not and could not order Robredo to shut up about the problem "because this is a democracy".
"Gusto ko lang malaman kung kaya nya. Marami kasing sinasalita (I just want to know if she has the capability. She talks too much)," Duterte said in an interview after the oath-taking ceremony of newly appointed government officials on Monday.
He also said Robredo can take over anytime.
"Tawagan mo sya ngayon (Call her). I can talk to her tonight and (I) will order tomorrow that everybody should follow her in the matter of the drug issue. Siya na," the President added.
The President issued the challenge to Robredo during his speech after administering the oath of his new appointees.
“Siya ang magdala. Tingnan natin kung ano ang mangyari. Hindi ako makialam. Sige gusto mo? Mas bright ka? Sige, ikaw. Subukan mo (Let her handle the situation. Let’s see what will happen. You want? You’re brighter than me? Then try it),” he said.
Duterte said he has directed Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to transmit a letter to Robredo, informing the Vice President of his decision.
“Well the opposition, they always hanker on to, sasakyan nila, kagaya ni Robredo sige lang siya (they always ride, like Robredo. She keeps on bringing up the issue on) human rights, human rights,” he said.
“As a matter of fact, I am sending a letter to her through Secretary Medialdea. I will surrender my powers to enforce the law. Ibigay ko sa Vice President. Ibigay ko sa kanya mga six months (I will give it to the Vice President. I will give it to her for six months),” he added.
Duterte made the move following the recent call of Robredo for the administration to abandon the anti-narcotics drive since it is “not working”.
In a report by a wire agency on October 23, 2019, the Vice President was quoted as saying: “We ask ourselves, ‘Why is this still happening?’ The President has already made very serious threats to drug syndicates, to drug lords... and yet, it’s still very prevalent, so obviously, it’s not working.”
Malacañang earlier said it was “not surprising” for Robredo to once again demonize Duterte’s crackdown on illegal drugs. (NASE/SunStar Philippines)