Robredo made “missteps” as drug czar prompting Duterte not to give her Cabinet rank, Palace says

November 19, 2019

Vice President Leni Robredo has committed "missteps" that prompted President Rodrigo Duterte not to give her the Cabinet rank being the anti-illegal drug czar, Malacanang said on Tuesday.

In a phone patch interview, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo acknowledged Duterte made a declaration before that Robredo would be appointed as a Cabinet member.

"But then after her (Robredo's) appointment she made missteps if I may call it that registered red signs that cannot be ignored," he said.

Panelo, also the chief presidential legal counsel, cited Robredo's move of talking and seeking advice to foreign institutions and personalities who have  "prejudged" the government's war on drugs as a violation of human rights and crime against humanity.

He called those institutions and individuals as "enemies of the state" as far as the campaign against illegal narcotics was concerned.

Panelo also cited Robredo's call to provide her "unlimited access" to documents, including classified information.

The possible revelation of such information could imperil the welfare of the Filipinos and security of the state, he said.

"Her requests for unrestricted data to help her fulfill her role is an admission that the earlier criticisms of the political opposition to which she belongs against the anti-drug operations have no factual basis," Panelo said in a statement.

"Being a member of the Cabinet gives Ms. Robredo unlimited access to sensitive State matters which if transmitted by her whether purposely or otherwise could result to adverse consequences, especially since the VP has the tendency to be generous with acquired information and knowledge to others whose predilection may not be in the best interest of the country," he explained.

Panelo also wondered Robredo has not come out yet of the supposed new tact to address the illegal drug problem as she is two weeks in office as the co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs.

Since Robredo's acceptance on November 6 of the offer to be the anti-illegal drug czar, Duterte has not yet met with her.

Panelo earlier said that Robredo would just be invited by Duterte for a meeting.

Roberdo has said she needs to have access on the government's campaign against illegal drugs, including the list of the high value targets, in order to have an overall picture of the problem.

She has also vowed not to disclose any confidential information to others. Celerina Monte/DMS