Malacañang has announced the termination of Vice President Leni Robredo as Co-Chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD).
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that this is in response to the suggestion of Liberal Party President, Senator Francis Pangilinan, to just fire the Vice President from her post. This is also in response to the taunt and dare of VP Robredo for the President to just tell her that he wants her out.
“The President’s designation of VP Robredo was not like any offer to perform a certain task. It was an offer to make the campaign against illegal drugs better – a chance where both this Administration and the political opposition could have unified in fighting the social ill that has destroyed the lives of many and imperilled thousands others, in addition to creating a multitude of dysfunctional families and threatening the present and the next generation to useless existence. Unfortunately, she wasted such opportunity and used the same as a platform to attack the methods undertaken by this Administration,” Panelo said in a statement.
Malacañang added that the ICAD, as performed by its four clusters are already spelled out in Executive Order No. 15. Panelo said that Robredo’s role in leading the ICAD was clear from the very beginning.
“VP Robredo wanted clarification in the scope and limits of her new task, she could have sought audience with the President, which she failed to do. As always, she talked — not with her appointing authority — but right in front of the cameras asking the President on her supposed mandate,” Panelo said.
“If VP Robredo is really serious in addressing the cause of the drug problem, she should have gone down to the grassroots — talking to the victims, to their families, and to the communities,” Panelo added.
Malacañang also questioned why Robredo opted to have audience with the United Nations and the United States embassy officials who remain out-of-touch from the realities of the local drug problem on the ground.
“The President gave the Vice President ample authority and powers to direct all responsible government instrumentalities to act in accordance with the strategic objectives that she might have had in mind, in line with putting an end to the drug menace in our country,” Panelo said.
Malacañang also raised concerns about Robredo’s interest in accessing confidential information.
“The President has been more than patient enough, giving the Vice President adequate opportunity to discuss possible courses of action with him. More than two weeks have passed since the Vice President accepted her designation as ICAD-Chairperson,” Panelo explained.
Panelo added that Robredo has not presented any new program that she envisioned to implement. In a campaign where people’s lives are at risk, “a day is an eternity” according to Panelo.
