By Raymund Antonio
The camp of Vice President Leni Robredo has assured allies and critics that she is ready for the tough task ahead in the government’s relentless campaign against illegal drugs.
Vice President Leni Robredo (VP LENI ROBREDO / FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Vice presidential spokesman Barry Gutierrez said Robredo accepted the challenge to lead the drug war, but it seemed like it was President Duterte’s allies who were unprepared for her.
“Alam ni VP Leni ang bigat ng trabahong tinanggap niya. Handa siya para dito. Sa dami ng duda nila dito, ang lumalabas, sila ang hindi handa para sa kanya,” Gutierrez said. (VP Leni knows the tough job that she accepted. She is ready for it. With all their doubts about her, it seems they are the ones who are not ready for her.)
Gutierrez, who is also legal adviser to Robredo, was responding to remarks by Senators Christopher “Bong” Go and Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa that she can’t be soft in implementing the campaign.
"Sa tingin ko gusto ata’ niya (Robredo) i-baby ang mga drug lords, gusto niya ata paramihin?" Go was quoted as saying in reaction to Robredo assuming the co-chairmanship of the Inter-agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD). (I think she wants to treat drug lords like babies. Does she want more drug lords?)
“War is not a bed of roses, it can’t just be playing cute, it can’t be all talk, action is needed,” Dela Rosa, for his part, said when sought for his advice to the Vice President.
Gutierrez said the senators’ statement showed the designation of Robredo to co-chair the anti-drug body was politically motivated.
The Vice President will now co-head the ICAD with Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director-General Aaron Aquino. President Rodrigo Duterte earlier sent a memorandum on the designation of Robredo until June 30, 2022.
“Hinamon nila si VP Leni na tumulong sa kampanya laban sa iligal na droga. Tinanggap ni VP ng buong loob ang hamon. Ngayon, 'di pa man nakapagsisimula ng trabaho, tumitira na sila? Sino ngayon ang namumulitika?” he asked. (They challenged VP Leni to help in the campaign against illegal drugs. The VP fully accepted this challenge. Now she has not even started her work, they’re already attacking her. So who’s playing politics now?)
Robredo, who is the leader of the opposition, has already sent word to Malacañang that she has accepted the ICAD post.
“I accept the designation ‘to lead the government’s efforts against illegal drugs.' Thank you,” the Vice President said in her response to Duterte’s memo, a copy of which was posted by Gutierrez on Twitter.