Palace on Robredo’s new post: Let her do her job, give her space

Malacañang on Friday said Vice President Leni Robredo should be given plenty of room to accomplish her objectives as co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD).

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo issued the statement on Friday after Robredo on Thursday pushed for zero killings in the campaign, which has claimed the lives of nearly 5,800 drug users and pushers since President Rodrigo Duterte took office in 2016.

Robredo's appointment came on the heels of criticisms from the likes of Senator Bong Go, who said she might treat drug lords as babies; and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Director-General Aaron, who said — even before the vice president got appointed — that she will fail.

“Let her do her job. When she joins the raid and the police operations, she will be exposed to the realities on the ground. After that she will plan how to succeed in her job. Give her space,” Panelo said.

Panelo earlier said Duterte wanted Robredo to “understand that deaths occur due to the violent reactions on the part of agents of the illegal drug trade against the strict enforcement of the law.”

Robredo accepted the ICAD post on Wednesday, days after Duterte took exception to her statement that the war on drugs was ineffective and needed reassessment.

The Vice President took on the challenge from Duterte to lead the campaign despite warnings from her allies and supporters that she was being set up to fail. — MDM, GMA News