Offer from ‘drug czar’ to ‘scapegoat’

When Palace blabbermouth Salvador Panelo tried to explain President Duterte’s dare to Vice President Leni Robredo with statements to the effect that she can take over full control and supervision of all government instrumentalities involved in the so-called war on drugs, jaws dropped in
utter disbelief.

Skeptics like Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman were right: The actual written appointment offered by Mr. Duterte to Robredo turned out to be “vastly different” from his “original offer” for her to be the “drug czar” (“Du30 move hit: Leni ‘being set up to fail,’” 11/6/19). It was an insult to everyone’s intelligence.

As usual, Panelo found his foot in his mouth. Oops, she will have no full control of the war on drugs, but be just a “cochair” with a Duterte gofer still very much in charge of waging that war! Obviously, her main role would merely be to serve as a scapegoat: Kasi nakikialam pa, eh puro dakdak lang ang alam!

But be that as it may, Robredo’s decision to accept the challenge speaks of the confidence she has in herself. So, where Mr. Duterte has thrown in the towel, there she is ready to continue the fight in ways she thinks would be good for the country. Perhaps, the President never expected her to step up to the plate. Now, regardless of whether she succeeds or not, he’s the one looking like a wuss.

GABRIELLE MICHELLE M. AGUILLERA,
[email protected]