ICAD expects Leni to see, talk about truth in Duterte's war on drugs

Officials of the Inter-agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) expect Vice President Leni Robredo to be enlightened about the true state of President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs when they meet her on Friday.

According to a Thursday report by Jun Veneracion on "State of the Nation Address with Jessica Soho", ICAD officials will brief Robredo about the status of the anti-drug campaign on Friday afternoon.

ICAD is composed of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Dangerous Drugs Board, and the Department of Health (DOH).

"VP Leni can see for herself what is the truth behind everything, and hopefully, makita ng international media and the local media that what we are doing is not sugarcoated," DILG Assistant Secretary Ricojudge Echiverri said.

Robredo a few weeks back was quoted as saying that the war on drugs has failed despite the deaths of thousands of suspected drug personalities.

"Kasi parang ano eh, parang kulang sa information yung Office of the Vice President," Assistant Secretary Walter Besas of the DDB said.

They said Robredo, as a member of the opposition, could enlighten even the international community about the false information on the killings blamed on the campaign.

"Si VP Leni is already part of the ICAD and she could be a good mouthpiece to tell the whole world what is really happening," Echiverri said.

Meanwhile, an official of the Mega Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Nueva Ecija said it was prepared to accept the expected increase in patients.

Robredo has said that she would push for zero deaths in the anti-drug campaign.

The rehabilitation center can welcome up to 10,000 drug dependents.

During the first few months of the Duterte administration, drug dependent patients increased which is why DOH will not be surprised should it happen again.

"So, if ever magkaroon po ng increase, we are ready to address that," DOH program manager Dr. Jose Bienvenido Leabres said.

To better relay inform to the public about the situation, officials launched the Anti-Illegal Drugs Information System, which will serve as the government database for the war on drugs.

However, the database is accessible only to government agencies and not the public.

Robredo was designated as the co-chair of ICAD by President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday. She accepted the position on Wednesday. —Joahna Lei Casilao/NB, GMA News