Robredo named co-chair of anti-illegal drugs body

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Turning his words into action, President Rodrigo Duterte formally appointed Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo as the co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD), the Palace announced on Tuesday, November 5.

The Chief Executive signed a memorandum designating Robredo to the said position on October 31, before he left for Thailand to attend the 35th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.

According to the document, Robredo, as the ICAD’s co-chair, will “lead the government’s efforts against anti-illegal drugs until 30 June 2022, unless sooner revoked.”

It was also stated that the President directed the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine National Police (PNP), Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), and all other law enforcement agencies “to extend their full assistance and cooperation to the Vice President to ensure the success of the government’s efforts in the war against illegal drugs.”

To recall, the ICAD was formed in March 2017, through Executive Order (EO) No. 15. Among its functions, the committee shall “ensure the effective conduct of anti-illegal drug operations and arrest of high-value drug personalities down to the street-level peddlers and users.”

The ICAD is composed of 21 various government agencies, with the PDEA being its chair.

With this designation, Malacañang hopes that the “detractors and critics” of the Duterte administration will finally see the President’s “sincerity” in making such offer to Robredo and “understand that the Chief Executive’s ultimate motivation in making the same is the welfare of the Filipino people, with the hope that the government be successful in combatting the atrocity caused by the use and trade of illegal narcotics, regardless of who greatly contributed to such success.”

“Members of the political opposition have been issuing demands relative to the President’s offer to the Vice President to head the government’s campaign against illegal drugs, alleging that the same is a ruse manufactured by this Administration to discredit the latter,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said.

“They have demanded that the power be granted through an official correspondence, and not just through a verbal or electronic communication, and the President has acceded to such demand,” he added.

It was last October 28 when Duterte challenged Robredo to be his drug czar, following her criticisms of his supposed failed anti-narcotics campaign.

Robredo, however, did not seem to be keen on accepting the offer, saying that if the campaign was successful, Duterte would not have to make her lead it.

[READ: Palace tells Robredo to grab ‘rare opportunity’ of being drug czar]