Duterte naming Robredo as anti-drug czar is a ‘trap’ — BAYAN Central Visayas

Vice President Leni Robredo. INQUIRER file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Militant groups based in Central Visayas expressed their disgust over President Rodrigo Duterte’s move to name Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo as the co-chairperson of the inter-agency committee on anti-illegal drugs (ICAD).

In a statement released to the media, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) Central Visayas said Duterte is setting up a trap for Robredo to give him an opportunity to discredit the Vice President.

“While the intention of VP Leni Robredo to reform the crusade to end illegal drugs in our country is noble, BAYAN Central Visayas sees this as a political maneuver of the Duterte administration to divert accountability from the failure of the war on drugs,” said BAYAN Central Visayas.

The group said Duterte is only using Robredo as “scapegoat for his crimes against humanity.”

“The real goal of Duterte is to make the people veer away from the fact that he failed to provide a genuine economic, social and political change in our country,” they added.

For BAYAN, the war on drugs was a failure of the Duterte administration proven by the recent controversies surrounding the Philippine National Police (PNP) because of the existence of “ninja cops” and the rampant illegal activities of drug syndicates in the country.

They said the Duterte administration also failed to address the rehabilitation of drug users.

Instead, it has steered the police to commit various human rights violations.

“In this political climate where dissidents from the ranks of normal citizens to activists are silenced, we challenge Vice President Leni Robredo to muster all of its might to heed the call in further exposing the Duterte’s crimes against the Filipino people, as well as his ineptitude to truly deliver just and lasting peace in our country,” BAYAN said.

On Wednesday morning, November 6, 2019, Robredo accepted the challenge of Duterte to become co-chairperson of ICAD.

READ: BREAKING: Robredo accepts drug czar post offer

According to Robredo, one of the things she considered in accepting the post was the lives that she could possibly save if she had a hand in the drug war.

She made the decision to sit as ICAD co-chairperson despite comments from allies that Duterte’s “challenge” is actually a “trap.”

“Pero sa dulo, ang pinakamahalagang konsiderasyon para sa akin ay simple lang, kung ito ang pagkakataon para matigil ang patayan ng mga inosente at mapanagot ang mga kailangnang managot, papasanin ko ito,” Robredo explained.

(In the end, the most important consideration for me is simple: if this is the chance to stop the killings of innocent people and place accountability on those responsible behind the drug crimes, then I will bear it.) / celr