Firing Robredo as ICAD co-chair ‘good step’: PACC

FILE: Robredo held her first meeting with ICAD member agencies at her office in New Manila, Quezon City on Friday afternoon, two days after she accepted President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s challenge to lead the anti-narcotics campaign by serving as co-chair of the anti-drug body. (Photo: VP Leni Robredo/Facebook)

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte made a “good step” in firing Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo as co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD), Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission chairperson Dante Jimenez said on Tuesday.

In a media interview, Jimenez said it was normal for the President to be “impatient” with Robredo, who appears to be “studying” the current administration’s crackdown on narcotics trade instead of giving “concrete” measures in addressing the drug menace in the country.

He said the government does not need Robredo, especially since it is running out of time in solving the drug problem.

“I’m saying this because it seems to me that the Vice President is still in the process of studying. Hindi para sa estudyante itong war on illegal drugs (The war on illegal drugs is not for a student). And that’s why the President siguro, impatient man iyan eh, (became impatient) and he fired eventually in less than three weeks the Vice President as co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee [on] Illegal Drugs,” the PACC chief said.

“And so I believe this is a very good step on the part of the President because we are losing time. We don’t need to have somebody in the committee that is still studying the culture of illegal drugs in the country. Hindi po kailangan noon. Kailangan natin, ano ‘yun? (We don’t need that. What do we need?) Mga concrete proposals, steps towards winning the war against illegal drugs,” he added.

Robredo, who was appointed as anti-drug czar on October 31, was supposed to help her ICAD co-chair, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron Aquino, in addressing the drug menace in the country until June 30, 2022.

Duterte, however, fired Robredo as ICAD co-chair on Sunday, following her supposed failure to present new measures that will help the current administration improve its fight against illegal drugs.

On Sunday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte was dismayed that Robredo merely “wasted the opportunity” as ICAD co-chair when she opted to “politicize” the drug war issue” instead of offering new solutions intended to stop the drug proliferation in the country.

Past admin ‘tolerated’ drug problem

Duterte could not be blamed for stripping Robredo of her role at ICAD, given that the drug problem was “practically tolerated” during the term of former president Benigno Aquino III, ran under the opposition Liberal Party (LP), Jimenez said.

Robredo currently serves as chair of the LP.

Jimenez expressed confidence that despite Robredo’s removal from ICAD, the Chief Executive was coordinating with ICAD member-agencies.

“He (Duterte) is now the President of the Republic. Nakita niya talaga ang bulto at laki ng illegal drugs na masyadong pinalawak ng mga past administration (The proliferation of illegal drugs exacerbates because of the mishandling of the past administration). This was really practically tolerated,” Jimenez said.

“And what the President now is doing, I’m pretty sure, [along] with the PDEA, PNP (Philippine National Police), and other law enforcement agencies, and NBI (National Bureau of Investigation), is really to crackdown on drug lords and of course, the users,” he added.

ICAD members include the Dangerous Drugs Board; Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Philippine Information Agency, Public Attorney’s Office; Office of the Solicitor General; Philippine Coast Guard; PNP; NBI; Armed Forces of the Philippines; and, Anti-Money Laundering Council.

Other members of the ICAD are the Departments of the Interior and Local Government, Justice, Health, Education, Social Welfare, Trade, Agriculture, and Defense, as well as the Customs and Immigration bureaus.

ICAD, created through Executive Order 15 signed on March 6, 2017, is mandated to ensure the member-agencies’ implementation of and compliance with all policies, laws, and issuances on the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign, in an “integrated and synchronized manner.”

PACC membership at ICAD eyed

During the interview, Jimenez revealed that the PACC also requested the President to tap his office as a new member of ICAD, to further step up the administration’s anti-narcotics drive.

Jimenez said the PACC made the request in October.

“Marami kaming magagawa diyan contribute (We have plenty to contribute), practically to prevent all this corruption going on, especially sa mga confiscation ng drugs (with regard to the confiscation of illegal drugs),” he said.

“That’s why we have recommendation to the President to include the PACC sa (in) ICAD because sabi ko nga related iyang illegal drugs (as I said, our office can also handle the issues on illegal drugs),” he added.

Proposals to solve drug problem to be submitted to PRRD

Jimenez said since the drug proliferation cannot be dissociated with rampant corruption, his office has also prepared proposals and recommendations to address the rampant narcotics sale in the country.

He said the PACC is targeting the submission of its proposals and recommendations to the President by December.

He noted that there would also be a recommendation to file charges against other government agencies that may be proven to be in cahoots with drug syndicates.

“Ang naka-focus kami is sa supply. Take note, supply. Bakit hindi maubos ubos ang supply (We focus on the supply. Take note, supply. Why can’t we stop the production of illegal drugs)?” Jimenez said.

“Nandiyan po iyan sa ginagawa po naming pananaliksik and eventually, isa-submit namin kay Presidente (It’s one of those being studied and eventually, we will submit it to the President). And of course, before we submit that, I have to consult with other agencies,” he added.