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Bato, Sotto: PHL will not get much from meetings with UNODC, US Embassy on drugs


At least two senators said the Philippines will not get much from Vice President Leni Robredo’s meeting with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the possible meeting with the United States Embassy.

Senator Ronald dela Rosa said the drug problem in the Philippines is different from the situation in other countries such as the United States, Mexico, and Colombia.

“At the back row level may maitutulong ‘yan pero dito sa ibaba, iba ‘yung reality ng drug problem dito sa atin kumpara sa realities on the ground sa drug problem sa United States, iba rin yung reality sa drug problem sa Mexico, iba rin sa Colombia,” he said in an interview on ANC television Tuesday.

Dela Rosa said that getting help from all sectors is important to succeed in the government’s campaign against illegal drugs, but its success still depends on what the operatives on the ground do.

“Well you need all the help you can get in order to succeed in the war on drugs, but at the end of the day, ang success mo andun pa rin sa operatives sa ibaba kung ano ang  diskarte na gagawin niya. Andun pa rin ‘yan sa tao na nagtatrabaho,” he said.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III, on the other hand, said other countries are not familiar with the drug problem of the Philippines.

“Ano ang matututunan natin doon, hindi nila alam ang problema sa Pilipinas. Meron silang sariling United States Drug Control Policy Program na ‘yung iba patterned doon sa UN strategy pero ang UN ODC medyo hindi rin malinaw kung ano ang strategies,” Sotto told reporters Monday.

“Kanya-kanyang thinking ‘yan. Kung sa tingin nila makakatulong, then go ahead. My personal opinion, wala tayong mapapala doon,” he added.

Robredo, co-chairperson of the inter-agency committee on anti-illegal drugs (ICAD), met with officials of UN OCD Monday morning.

It was not immediately clear whether or not Robredo's meeting with a UNODC representative had anything to do with the United Nations Human Rights Council pending investigation on the deaths blamed on the war on drugs. — Amita Legaspi/RSJ, GMA News

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