Duterte's offer to Robredo a political distraction – Trillanes

Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Tuesday called President Rodrigo Duterte’s appointment of Vice President Leni Robredo as co-chairperson of the inter-agency body tasked to handle the government’s war on drugs a political distraction.

“Dahil ang una, nagsimula ito dun sa assessment ni VP Leni na tumataas  ‘yung number of drug users according mismo kay Duterte. So ibig sabihin pumapalpak mismo ‘yung programa. Tapos ngayon nag-react yung Malacanang ng ganitong offer. Ano ‘yun, walang connection?” Trillanes told Senate reporters.

The former lawmaker, who was in the Senate with his students from the University of the Philippines, added that the Duterte administration was attempting to manipulate the Vice President, despite Robredo not being the key issue but rather the government's drugs policy.

While he had yet to speak with Robredo, he would likely discourage the Vice President from accepting the
designation.

“Practically pang display lang ito. I would discourage VP Leni from accepting dahil wala rin siyang magagawa diyan. As co-chairperson, ‘di rin siya pwede magbigay ng direktiba dahil kung conflict yan dun sa kabila hindi rin yun ang masusunod,” he said.

He added Robredo could also be dragged in the drug mess the Duterte administration had created for itself.

“Hindi ito pwedeng magiging effective for her, at worst, madadamay lang siya dito sa policy na patayan ngayon, so it won’t help,” he said.

Trillanes said the first offer to be the drug czar with the power to hire and fire people was better than the designation.

“‘Yung unang offer na siya yung in-charge sa lahat ay maaring ma-recommend na tanggapin niya, para talagang mapakita ni VP na ‘yung kanyang approach ay mas effective at mas makatao,” he said. — DVM, GMA News