Leni’s report on drug war: More recommendatory than ‘explosive’

The public may expect a report that is “not explosive” but “recommendatory” from Vice President Leni Robredo when she releases her findings on the drug war next week.

“Wait for my report to the nation, because we tried to be as comprehensive as possible given the very limit time given to me,” said Robredo, former co-chair of the Inter-agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD).

Robredo had served briefly at ICAD last month until she was sacked by President Duterte from her post for her supposed incompetence to handle the job. The Vice President wants to publicly release her findings since Duterte has yet to read the previous two reports she sent to Malacañang. She also intends to publicize her third report soon.

Her upcoming report contains recommendations on how to improve ongoing efforts to solve the drug menace in the country. Robredo pushes for a community-based rehabilitation that treats drug addiction as a public health issue and not just law enforcement approach in solving the drug problem.

Meanwhile, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director-General Aaron Aquino said that while it was unlikely for the vice president to reveal anything new about the government’s campaign against illegal drugs, she should not hold back if she has new information.

During the #RealNumbersPH press briefing in Malacañang, Aquino said that Robredo’s report was probably the same two reports she submitted to President Duterte on her first week in ICAD.

“Sa tingin ko yung presentation niya yun yung mga sinasabi niyang ‘discoveries.’ Yun yung sulat niya kay Presidente kung saan nakasaad doon yung mga recommendations niya to strengthen the ICAD,” he said in Pilpino.

Despite this, he encouraged Robredo to reveal everything she discovered even if it would paint the administration in a bad light.

“If there is, I urge her to open up. Hindi kailangan itago. Kung yung discoveries na nakita niya (She does not need to hide it. If that is what she discovered), whether it’s good or bad for the administration, then go,” Aquino said.

Aquino, however, admitted that Robredo was correct when she pointed out that the drug war had no scientific basis when it came to the number of illegal drug users and pushers in the country.

“Tama yung discovery na yun na walang (She was right when she discovered that we do not have a) scientific base data, baseline data yung ating (about the) drug users. That’s the reason why the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) is doing something about that,” he said, adding the DDB has started a survey to get a better, more accurate, and more scientific way of getting the number of people using or pushing drugs.

Despite Malacañang’s earlier claim that Robredo only sent a report to President Duterte after the latter called her out, Aquino confirmed that the vice president submitted two reports to the Office of the President (OP) after their meeting during her first week as co-chair of the body.