Cayetano to Robredo: Need more funds? Don't announce, just ask Congress

TAGAYTAY City —Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday urged Vice President Leni Robredo to simply ask Congress for additional budget for the campaign against illegal drugs instead of announcing it in public.

In an interview with reporters here, Cayetano reiterated his support to Robredo as the new co-chairperson of the Inter-agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs, but he had to call her out over the way she is implementing the anti-drug campaign.

"You need more funds? Huwag mo nang sabihin sa media, malalaman pa ng mga drug lords na dadagdagan ka ng pondo at kung saan ilalagay. Makipag-meeting ka sa Kongreso, we will give you the funds kung kinakailangan," he said.

"Don't misinterpret, I'm not criticizing her. I'm criticizing the way she has been carrying out the anti-drug campaign the last few days na from 'Oplan Tokhang' naging 'Oplan All-Talk-Lang' 'di ba? So dapat aksyon muna, get yourself oriented muna," he added.

Robredo has earlier called for an increase in the allotted budget of P15 million for the government's campaign against illegal drugs under the proposed 2020 national budget.

House Committee on Dangerous Drugs chair Robert Ace Barbers supported Robredo's call and assured that his panel will help in lobbying for a higher budget for the ICAD.

"I don't see anything wrong if we can request the increase of budget of the ICAD. Since this is a policy-making body, nangangailangan ito ng mas maraming information na maaari nilang makuha sa mga intelligence on the ground," Barbers told reporters in an interview on Tuesday.

Barbers also said they are willing to meet with Robredo to talk about her proposed plans and programs to address the drug problem in the country. —LDF, GMA News