Noynoy on Duterte’s mistrust of Robredo: Puwede ba 'yung itatalaga mo hindi mo pagkakatiwalaan?

Former President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III on Wednesday expressed confusion over President Rodrigo Duterte’s mistrust of Vice President Leni Robredo considering that he already appointed her as drug czar.

In light of the issue, Aquino said the criteria for appointment should be revisited.

“'Yung unang-una, kaya nu'ng tao. Pinagkakatiwalaan mong gagawin ang trabaho at naniniwala kang gagawin niya nang tama ang trabaho,” Aquino told reporters.

“Puwede ba 'yung itatalaga mo hindi mo pinagkakatiwalaan? Medyo magulo ‘ata,” he added.

Aquino and Robredo both belong to the Liberal Party.

In a late night press conference on Tuesday, Duterte said he cannot trust Robredo.

"Ang problema ko kay Robredo... Marami na siyang pinagsasabi. If that is the way her mouth behaves there can be no position for her," he added.

Duterte said he could not trust Robredo to be with him in Cabinet meetings.

"Ang problema dito, ganito. I cannot trust her not only because she is with the opposition. I do not trust her because I do not know her," Duterte said.

On Tuesday, Malacañang said Duterte changed his mind in giving Robredo a Cabinet post due to “missteps” she allegedly committed as co-chair of the government’s campaign against illegal drugs. 

Duterte’s spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the President’s “disinclination” to appoint Robredo to the Cabinet came after she met with foreign institutions and personalities.

Robredo had meetings with US officials, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime representatives and other community-based advocacy groups in relation to the illegal drug problem.

The US has criticized the deadly drug war campaign, while the UN Human Rights Council agreed in July to compile a comprehensive report on Duterte's three-year crackdown.

Duterte appointed Robredo as co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD), following her statement that the drug war of the administration has failed.

Robredo on Tuesday however said she intends to proceed "full steam ahead" in her work as ICAD co-chair, whether the position has a Cabinet rank or not. —KG, GMA News