ILOILO City – Instead of answering the challenge to lead the government’s campaign against illegal drugs, Vice President Leni Robredo said on Tuesday President Rodrigo Duterte should not be offended by her comment that the war on drugs is a failure.
“Iyong mga problema ng ating bansa hindi naman dinadaan sa pagkapikon, hindi naman dinadaan sa pang-iinsulto. Iyong sa akin, parating solusyon iyong hinahanap natin,” Robredo said during a visit here yesterday.
Duterte had said he was willing to cede his law enforcement powers to Robredo for six months.
“Tingnan natin kung ano ang mangyari. Hindi ako makialam. Sige, gusto mo? Mas bright ka? Sige, ikaw. Subukan mo,” the President said.
But Robredo said she remains focused in her work.
“Mas gusto kong i-direct iyong aking energy sa mga bagay na magiging useful ako gaya ng ginagawa ko dito sa Iloilo,” said the Vice President.
Robredo yesterday launched the “10 Million Mingo Meals” or MMM feeding program in the municipalities of Badiangan and Concepcion, Iloilo to address the problem on children’s malnutrition.
Undernourished children were given a six-month supply of mingo, a nutritious instant complementary food made of local rice, mung beans and moringa.
“Hindi ako puwedeng ma-distractfrom the workthat I am doing kasi less than three years na lang ang natitira sa akin,” said Robredo.
The President should not be onion-skinned to criticism, she added.
“Kaming
mga naninilbihan sa taumbayan, walang
space para sa aming ego, walang space para sa emosyon, walang space
para sa pagkapikon kasi hindi namin magagampanan nang maayos iyong aming
trabaho,” said Robredo.
She added: “From the very start nasa
receiving end na ako ng maraming
pang-iinsulto ni Pangulo. Pero iyong sa akin, sa dami ng gagawin, kailangan
matutunan ko i-focus kung ano iyong
mga mahahalaga.”
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the Vice President should just shut up.
“Tumahimik na lang siya…If she declines, it only shows that it is not true that this war on drugs is a failure and that there should be more or other measures to be undertaken,” said Panelo./PN
