PRESIDENT Duterte has fired Vice President Ma. Leonor Robredo as cochairman of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD), Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said on Sunday.
Asked to confirm the report, Medialdea replied in a text message to reporters: “Yes.”
Nearly an hour after Medialdea confirmed the report, Presidential Spokesman and Chief Presidential Counsel Salvador S. Panelo issued a statement to the media announcing the termination of the services of Robredo as ICAD co-chair.
“This is in response to the suggestion of Liberal Party President, Senator Francis Pangilinan, to just fire the Vice President from her post. This is also in response to the taunt and dare of VP Robredo for the President to just tell her that he wants her out,” said Panelo.
Duterte’s spokesman said the offer to Robredo was not like any offer to perform a certain task as the Vice President was given the chance to make the campaign against illegal drugs better.
“Both this administration and the political opposition could have unified in fighting the social ill that has destroyed the lives of many and imperiled thousands others,” said Panelo.
The President’s spokesman also criticized Robredo for talking to the United Nations and officials of the United States embassy. The US had been an international partner in the country’s drive against illegal drugs, supporting it with funds, logistics, training and other forms of assistance.
“Further, given the transparency of her motive to politicize the issue, the intention of the Vice President to seek access to confidential law enforcement information cannot be given the benefit of the doubt as being free from malice or manipulation,” he said.
As for her duties as co-chair of ICAD, Panelo said Robredo should have sought clarification from the President herself instead of doing it in front of the cameras.
Last week, Robredo said she already forwarded a letter to the President wherein she asked a clarification on her mandate as cochairman of ICAD.
The firing of the Vice President came more than two weeks after the President formally appointed Robredo to the post.
Days before this development, the President himself admitted that he does not trust Robredo, but that he is not firing her.
The Palace has since reiterated that Robredo made dangerous “missteps” of talking to foreign institutions and personalities which did not sit well with the President.
The President has alsio repeatedly said Robredo cannot have full access to information, especially those which are classified. The Palace even said Robredo has a tendency to share this information with other people.
After Robredo and former President Benigno Aquino III expressed confusion as to why the President appointed the Vice President to ICAD even though he does not trust her, Malacañang said: “Trust is earned.”
[Updated 9:21 p.m. November 24, 2019]