Duterte renews offer to Robredo to be drug czar with cabinet secretary portfolio

November 1, 2019

President Rodrigo Duterte has renewed his offer to Vice President Leni Robredo to be the drug czar with a cabinet secretary portfolio.

In a statement on Thursday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte reiterated the offer amid critics and detractors description of the President's gesture as a trap, arguing  it is impossible for Robredo to solve the social problem with a limited period of six months and without the support of anti-drug bureaus and agencies.

"To dispel all doubts on the sincerity of the Chief Executive’s offer, as well as to put a halt to the discordant pessimism of the opposition, the President renews his offer to the Vice President to become the anti-illegal drugs czar, with all offices, bureaus, agencies or government instrumentalities involved in the enforcement of the law on prohibited drugs placed under her command and supervision with a cabinet secretary portfolio, to ensure her effectiveness in combatting the drug menace," he said.

"The Office of the President wishes to be categorical -- and contrary to the claim of critics and detractors of this Administration, we want VP Leni to succeed, her success being ultimately a triumph of the Filipino people against the dreaded and destructive evil that is destroying the basic fabric of our society," he said.

Duterte offered Robredo to be his drug czar after the vice president urged the administration to reassess its war on drugs, citing that thousands have already died and yet the number of drug addicts continue to increase. Celerina Monte/DMS