Malacañang yesterday lamented Vice President Leni Robredo’s response to President Duterte’s offer to become the government’s anti-drug czar for six months, saying any public servant should welcome such gesture which enables one to show what they are capable of.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo made the statement after Robredo said that Duterte’s offer was made in jest and expressed that such statement was not only an insult but also an admission that the infamous anti-drug war was a failure.
“Kung ipapasa mo sa iba, hindi ba admission iyon na ang dami pang kailangan gawin?” she said.
“Iyong dating kasi sa akin, parang napikon. Pero iyong pagkapikon – iyong pang-iinsulto na from the very start ginagawa na sa akin. Pero iyong sa akin, hindi ko siya… hindi ko siya pag-aaksayahan ng energies,” she added.
Panelo reiterated that Duterte’s offer to Robredo to be the anti-drug czar did not mean that the war on drugs was a failure. He said it was a sincere gesture to provide the Vice President the venue to undertake a new tact in solving the drug problem if she found the present method ineffective.
The Palace official also said there was nothing insulting about Duterte’s offer which he publicly revealed Monday.
“Entertaining the offer as insulting is an exercise in intellect devoid of logic,” Panelo said in a statement.
Panelo added that the offer was also Robredo’s opportunity to show the public that she is a capable leader.
“She may have a better solution. This is an enticing opportunity to show her mettle as a public servant in destroying the drug apparatus, as well as helping the people freed from this fatal threat to society,” he said.
“The offer of the President should be welcomed by any true civil worker and deemed to be an opportunity to serve the people and show one’s aptitude and capability as a public servant in the service of the people,” he added.
On Monday, Duterte said he wrote Robredo a letter offering her to lead the anti-drug war for six months since she thought that the illegal drugs campaign needed reassessment. The President added that he was willing to talk to Robredo about the offer at any time of day.
Panelo said that Robredo should not have been offended by his text message to her, informing her about Duterte’s offer since it was just his way of giving an old friend a heads up.
“VP Leni should not be offended by the text message of this representation, giving her a heads up or an advance information for her to ponder,” he said. (Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)