Sa panayam ng Reuters, sinabi ng bise presidente na nananatiling talamak ang droga sa lipunan at pawang mahihirap lamang ang target ng drug war.
“We ask ourselves, ‘why is this still happening?’ The President has already made very serious threats to drug syndicates, to drug lords … and yet it’s still very prevalent, so obviously, it’s not working. We have seen a lot of police that have abused their powers and not been penalized,” ani Robredo.
Pero ayon kay Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, walang basehan ang komento ni Robredo at nagpapasama lang ito sa presidente at sa giyera kontra droga.
“The Palace is not surprised at all by the recent commentary of Vice President Ma. Leonor Robredo when she again demonized the President and this Administration’s campaign against illegal drugs by referring to the same as a “failed drug war,” ani Panelo.
Dismayado ang kalihim sa pagsegunda ng bise presidente sa mga kasinungalingan at black propaganda ng oposisyon kahit naging bahagi ito ng Gabinete kung kailan nailunsad ang drug war.
“With all due respect to the office she holds, the VP’s latest remarks are unquestionably bereft of factual basis and devoid of recognition of the successes that the war on illegal drugs has reaped. She may not realize it but she is echoing the lies and black propaganda of some of her colleagues in the political opposition, which to say the least is unfortunate, especially since she was part of the Cabinet when the government’s program against the drug menace was launched,” dagdag ng kalihim.
Ayon kay Panelo, hindi ibig sabihin na may malalaki pa ring sindikato ng droga ay bigo na ang drug war.
Nagpapakita lang anya ito ng lawak ng problema sa iligal na droga na resulta ng kapabayaan ng mga nakaraang administrasyon.
“The fact that the drug cartel has not been totally destroyed does not mean that the fight against it has failed. It only means that the extent and magnitude of the drug problem, which is the result of neglect and failure by past administrations to arrest or curb it, is monstrously enormous hence the Administration has not wavered in the vigorous battle it has waged against it,” ayon sa kalihim.
“I invite the attention of the good VP to the screaming uncontroverted facts that our countrymen by now are familiar with: More than one million drug personalities have voluntarily surrendered since the anti-narcotics campaign of the President started. Close to half a million underwent recovery, rehabilitation and wellness programs. More than 42,000 barangays have been cleared of drugs and more than 35 billions of pesos of drugs, chemicals and laboratory equipment have been seized and dismantled. More than a hundred police scalawags, and less than five thousand drug lords and pushers involved in illegal drugs, who have resisted arrest in buy-bust operations, have been killed making the people safe from them. It is a continuing wonderment why VP Leni has ignored the fact that the majority of our people have recognized and have given their thumbs-up to the policy of the Chief Executive on this issue, with more than 8 out of 10 Filipinos, or 82%, expressing satisfaction with his anti-illegal drug campaign,” paliwanag ni Panelo.
Payo ng Malacañang, dumistansya si Robredo sa mga kritiko na ang mga kasinungalingan ay hindi naman kinakagat ng mayorya ng mga Filipino.