(Eagle News)—Vice President Leni Robredo on Friday, Aug. 31, urged President Rodrigo Duterte to focus on the “many other matters” he needs to address, rather than resort to “recycled rants conveniently used to deflect attention from the failures of his administration.”
Robredo made the pronouncement after Duterte again belittled her leadership qualities, saying she could not “hack” into the problems of the country herself.
She noted what she said were the rising prices that “continue to make life difficult for our fellow Filipinos especially those in need,” and the P6.8-billion shabu shipment that she said “slipped past” his Customs officials.
Duterte has dismissed claims there had been drugs in the empty magnetic lifters found in Cavite recently, saying a swab test showed they were negative of the same.
But Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Chief Aaron Aquino stood by his remark there were drugs in the lifters, noting that the presence of the same could not be accurately determined with a swab test.
Robredo also took offense at Duterte’s accusation her brother-in-law, Butch Robredo, brought illegal drugs into Bicol.
“Despite these many problems, the drug war clearly remains highest on the President’s agenda so much so that he is now pinning blame on a blind man,” she said, referring to the brother of her late husband Jesse Robredo.
She also hit back at Duterte for calling Naga a “shabu hotbed,” saying it was a “ridiculous allegation” against a city that “thrives on good governance” and that “staunchly supports the call to fight illegal drugs.”
“And instead of continuing to glorify a dictator who stole billions from our country, drove our nation to debt, and presided over the murder and imprisonment of thousands of Filipinos, he can work on truly unifying the nation and assuring our people, especially those at the fringes, that their voices are being heard and their daily suffering will soon be eased,” she said.
