Duterte names top drug war critic as ‘drugs tsar’

MANILA: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has named his main political rival as his “drugs tsar” after she criticised the high death toll his anti-narcotics campaign has caused, but her camp dismissed the offer as a gimmick.

His spokesman on Tuesday confirmed the appointment of Leni Robredo as co-chair of an interagency panel on drugs and ordered all other agencies to give her their full support.

“If she has been criticising the drug war as ineffective, then there must be ideas on her mind to make it effective,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said on television.

Human rights groups say Duterte’s crackdown had led to systematic executions and police cover-ups. Police reject that and say the nearly 7,000 people they have killed were armed drug suspects who resisted arrest.

Robredo advocates tackling drugs from a health and social perspective, including prevention and treatment rather than a largely police-centred approach.

The offer to her followed critical remarks she made about the crackdown in an interview with Reuters and subsequently, angering Duterte and triggering a torrent of abuse against her on social media for speaking out against him.

The president remains hugely popular among Filipinos, with an approval rating of more than 80 per cent. Robredo’s spokesman, Barry Gutierrez, said she was being offered a post that did not exist, describing the gesture as “theatre”.

“They should have a serious offer, not the one, in its face, that does not have much content, has questionable legality and part of the ongoing drama,” Gutierrez told reporters.

Robredo would respond herself on Wednesday and present recommendations to Duterte on how the drugs war should be handled, her spokesman added.