The word war between Vice President Leni Robredo and Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo has escalated over the delayed release of her report on the war on drugs.
Panelo has criticized Robredo for supposedly trying to grab the “spotlight” and become “relevant” with her drug war report while the government is busy with its work, from fighting illegal drug trade to helping quake-hit communities in the south.
“As described by some notable columnists, she has become irrelevant at this time due to her not well thought of political statements. Her decision to call a press briefing to announce that there is no press briefing, while flashing her 40-page report, reveals that she only wants the spotlight,” Panelo said in a statement Tuesday.
“She has deferred her report a number of times, looking for a perfect timing and hoping that people would pay attention to her as she struggles to be relevant, while the government is silently doing its job in addressing the issues our nation faces, such as providing assistance to those who were affected by the recent earthquake,” he said.
The latest Palace rebuke of Robredo came after her camp accused Panelo of having no empathy when he reacted to the non-release of her drug war report.
Robredo, the former anti-drug war czar, earlier postponed the release of her findings and recommendation on the government’s anti-drug campaign due to the recent strong earthquake that hit Davao del Sur and nearby areas.
Panelo, however, pointed out that the release of Robredo’s drug war report as well as the relief and rehabilitation aid for quake victims could “co-exist.”
“This Administration, through the various agencies of the government, provides reports to the people regularly. It is not as if when the Vice President speaks, the world will stop and the government will halt its operations to provide assistance in Davao,” he said.
He also dismissed the use of empathy card against him as “pure non-sense.” He said the release of Robredo’s drug war report has nothing to do with focusing efforts to help the earthquake victims.
Panelo meantime renewed his challenged to Robredo to just reveal her supposed findings on the government’s anti-drug campaign, saying there is no time to vacillate.
“This is not the time to vacillate. If she has ‘discoveries’ that she threatened to expose, bring it on!, as the President dares her to do,” he said. (Genalyn Kabiling)
