Vice President Leni Robredo bared her time at the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) was the most challenging role she had taken in her years-long public service.
But she said she does not regret any of it and affirmed that despite it being a short-lived tenure, she has learned a lot.
It has given her a preview of what she can do against the proliferation of illegal drugs if she wins the presidency, she added.
"So after 18 days, nakapagbigay ako ng maayos na (I was able to present) recommendations at ngayon alam ko kung anong gagawin sa drug war 'pag ako nabigyan ng pagkakataon (and now, I know what to do with the drug war if I will be given the chance) to lead the nation," Robredo said during the Usapang Halalan 2022: CBCP Election Forum Friday evening, March 25.
The opposition leader, who is a staunch critic of President Duterte's war on drugs, reiterated that she will continue the war against illegal drugs "with as much vigor" but in a different way, applying all that she had learned in her 18 days in ICAD.
'They want me out'
During the forum, Robredo elaborated why her time as an ICAD co-chair was one of the most challenging roles she had taken.
She said she decided to take on this challenge despite knowing that "almost all her colleagues did not want her there."
"Alam ko na hamon yun sa'kin. Lahat nang nakapaligid sa'kin, ina-advice ako na 'wag tanggapin. Alam namin na papahirapan kami. Alam ko na yung halos lahat ng makakasama ko sa body na yun would rather na wala ako dun pero at the end of the day tinanggap ko (I know that it was a challenge for me. All those around me were advising me not to accept it. We know that they will give us a hard time. I know that almost all my colleagues in the body would rather not have me there but at the end of the day, I accepted it)," Robredo said.
The lady official said she accepted the job because she has always been critical of the way the drug war was being constructed which resulted in killings. She said it was a chance to further understand the war on drugs.
"Ang pakiramdam ko nun, pagkakataon siya para sa'kin na maintindihan kung ano ba yung mga nangyayari and pagkakataon siya na makapagrekomenda ako nang maayos --given yung mga datos na ibibigay sa'kin-- na recommendations (I felt that it was an opportunity for me to understand what was really happening and a chance to present good recommendations given the data that was given)," Robredo said.
"And 18 days lang ako bilang ICAD co-chair pero wala akong regrets na tinaggap ko yun. Napakahirap niya kasi pagpasok ko sa meeting alam ko na mas gusto nila na wala ako dun pero tingin ko pa din sa mahihirap na sitwasyon nandun pa rin yung opportunities (And in the 18 days of being an ICAD co-chair, I had no regrets. It was so hard because as I enter the meeting, I knew they want me out but in tough times, opportunities are there)," Robredo added.