By Genalyn kabiling
President Duterte is open to the possibility of working again with Vice President Leni Robredo as long as she would be a “team player” of the government, according to a Palace official.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo
(OPS / MANILA BULLETIN)
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the President has "no regrets" in placing her in charge of the war on drugs and would not rule out the possibility of working with her again in the future.
"The President can work with anybody as long as his appointee would work as a team player of his Administration," Panelo said in a recent interview with the Manila Bulletin.
"The President has no regrets appointing the Vice Pesident as anti-drug war czar as the former gave the latter the rare opportunity to serve under his Administration," he said.
Back in late October 2019, the President placed Robredo as co-chairman of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) following her criticisms on the government's war on drugs.
Robredo however was fired less than three weeks after the President was dismayed with her performance in supervising the government's anti-drug campaign. The Palace claimed that Robredo "wasted the opportunity" to make the anti-drug campaign better, adding that she failed to present any new strategy to combat the menace.
Among Robredo's missteps that displeased Duterte were daring him to fire her, consulting with foreigners, and seeking access to classified documents.
The President, seemingly disappointed with Robredo's brief stint as anti-drug war czar, later warned that the country might suffer a disaster if she guns for the presidency. He has advised Robredo against running for president because she supposedly does not know anything.