Vice President Leni Robredo has no ill feelings toward President Duterte for his latest tirade over her report on the government’s drug war, but she hoped he would still be open to her recommendations.
Duterte had earlier called her work in government a “colossal blunder” after she rated his administration’s campaign against illegal drugs a failure.
“Iyong perception niya sa akin, karapatan niyang isipin iyon. Hindi ko dedepensahan iyong sarili ko, kasi iyong pinaka-proof naman kung nagtrabaho ako, nasa documentation noong 18 days ko sa ICAD,” she said.
The Vice President was co-chair of the Inter-agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs in November last year before Duterte sacked her from her post due to alleged incompetence.
Robredo released on Monday her report containing the findings and recommendations on the drug war from her short ICAD stint, but Duterte refused to consider her suggestions.
She recommended to the government to designate the Dangerous Drugs Board as lead agency, establish accurate and updated baseline data on the number of drug users and pushers, scrap “Oplan: Tokhang,” activate the National Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force, and separate users from pushers in processing arrests.
“Pinag-igihan ko ang trabaho; ito ang recommendations. Nasa kaniya na kung anong gagawin. Pero kung seryoso talaga tayo na matapos ang problema sa illegal na droga, dapat bukas tayong makinig sa suggestions ng iba,” she said.
Despite the difficulties she had faced during her brief ICAD stint, Robredo said she had “no regrets” that she accepted the post.
“Nagpapasalamat ako sa opportunity at itong recommendations na ito ang aking ambag,” she said. (Raymund Antonio)
