By Aaron B. Recuenco
As Vice President Leni Robredo promised to make public her findings on the government’s anti-drug war, the Philippine National Police (PNP) sees it as an opportunity to further improve more than three years of aggressive illegal drugs campaign.
PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said that he believes that whatever Robredo would reveal in the coming days, it will be information and recommendation to help the existing policies in the drug war campaign.
“The PNP is open to whatever Vice President Leni Robredo would reveal in order to further improve our campaign against high-value targets under the illegal drugs and to push for the community-based drug rehabilitation program.
Robredo was unceremoniously removed by President Duterte as co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) on Sunday, a position the Chief Executive signed on October.
The designation was out of anger of the President over Robredo’s statement that the drug war needs a second look since it appears that it is not working.
Despite her removal, Banac believes that Robredo did not commit missteps during her short stint as ICAD co-chairperson.
“We haven’t really noticed any report of missteps during her stay as ICAD co-chair,” said Banac in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel
This is contrary to the statement of President spokesman Salvador Panelo who said that Robredo’s missteps as ICAD co-chair has prompted Duterte to fire her.
In fact, Banac said that Robredo gave the PNP some ideas, especially in her advocacies for a community-based rehabilitation.
“In her three-week stint as co-chair of ICAD, we were able to gain a lot of ideas from her, especially her advocacy and her desire for community-based rehabilitation of drug users and her desire for more transparency of the campaign against illegal drugs,” said Banac.
“Along that line, we would like to also share that her desires and the direction of the PNP match,” he added.
But Banac said that Robredo’s exit at ICAD will not affect the illegal drugs campaign of the PNP.
“We will continue to do our mandate that includes observing the rule of law and respecting human rights,” said Banac.
