Palace: Robredo echoing lies about drug war

By Argyll Cyrus Geducos

Malacañang advised Vice President Leni Robredo to engage with the Filipinos more to get in touch with reality instead of echoing lies about President Duterte’s drug war.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo; Vice President Leni Robredo
(PCOO / OVP / MANILA BULLETIN)

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the Palace was not at all surprised by Robredo’s recent statement when she “demonized” Duterte and his drug war and referred to the latter as a failure.

Robredo said that it was time for the Duterte administration to put a stop to the drug war as it paints the country in a bad light before the international community.

“With all due respect to the office she holds, the VP’s latest remarks are unquestionably bereft of factual basis and devoid of recognition of the successes that the war on illegal drugs has reaped,” he said.

“She may not realize it but she is echoing the lies and black propaganda of some of her colleagues in the political opposition, which to say the least is unfortunate, especially since she was part of the Cabinet when the government’s program against the drug menace was launched,” he added.

Panelo explained that the drug cartel not being totally destroyed did not mean that the campaign has failed.

“It only means that the extent and magnitude of the drug problem, which is the result of neglect and failure by past administrations to arrest or curb it, is monstrously enormous, hence, the administration has not wavered in the vigorous battle it has waged against it,” he said.

“More than one million drug personalities have voluntarily surrendered since the anti-narcotics campaign of the President started. Close to half a million underwent recovery, rehabilitation and wellness programs. More than 42,000 barangays have been cleared of drugs and more than 35 billions of pesos of drugs, chemicals and laboratory equipment have been seized and dismantled. More than a hundred police scalawags, and less than five thousand drug lords and pushers involved in illegal drugs, who have resisted arrest in buy-bust operations, have been killed making the people safe from them,” Panelo said.

“It is a continuing wonderment why VP Leni has ignored the fact that the majority of our people have recognized and have given their thumbs-up to the policy of the Chief Executive on this issue, with more than 8 out of 10 Filipinos, or 82 percent, expressing satisfaction with his anti-illegal drug campaign,” he added.

Panelo advised Robredo to hear what the public has to say about the drug war instead of just listening to the critics of the President.

“The Office of the President, therefore, suggests to our former colleague in the Cabinet to detach herself from the critics and detractors of the war on drugs whose false narratives against it have been repudiated by a majority of Filipinos,” he said.

“We can only hope that VP Robredo does more active consultation with her Filipino constituencies instead of totally relying on the insights given by her advisers whose ideas contradict the realities on the ground. She is better off without them. She should rely more on her motherly instincts and gut-feel as a lawyer,” he added.

Panelo said the Palace will continue to welcome criticisms from every Filipino as long as these are based on facts.

“This is not to say that we are intolerant of criticisms coming from her. This administration takes no offense from those who are critical of its policies and welcomes constructive criticisms but the same however should be based on facts and the law,” Panelo said.

“Otherwise, they become a disinformation campaign and an abuse of the freedom of speech and of expression, and unproductive to the mature evolution of a democratic society and a hindrance to its progress,” he added.