VP game changer in anti-drug campaign
Credit to Author: Divina Nova Joy Dela Cruz| Date: Mon, 11 Nov 2019 16:14:48 +0000
Analysts believe that the entry of Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo into the “war on drugs” scene as co-chairman of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) could lead to changes in the campaign.
For political analyst Ramon Casiple, Robredo could be an eye-opener to problem areas such as killings, which she could help curb.
“If you’re outside looking in, mas nakikita mo ‘yung (you can see the) gap in problem areas,” Casiple said. “Malaki ‘yung maitutulong niya d’yan kasi mababalanse niya ‘yung purely police approach eh (She can help balance things).”
University of the Philippines political science department Chairman Maria Ela Atienza, meanwhile, sees Robredo’s appointment as a sign of the administration’s frustration over the pace of the drug war.
“In a way, it’s also an admission on the part of the administration, even the president, that in a way, they are also frustrated about the pace of the drug war. It has been three and a half years already,” she said.
Atienza believes that Robredo’s proposals to look at the drug campaign beyond a peace and order problem would also be beneficial and would change the measurement for the success or failure of the campaign.
“Siya ‘yung mag-hold ng (she will hold) different agencies accountable, to present a different way of viewing things,” Atienza said.
She believes that Robredo could help curb unnecessary killings.
“What is important is that law enforces and those in fault should know that the VP is monitoring them,” Atienza said.
With Robredo stressing the need to look at the drug problem as a health concern and pushing rehabilitation forward, Casiple said there should be a holistic approach, which should still include crime-busting, as there is also a need to fight big-time drug suspects.
Operations
The analysts believe that there was no need for Robredo to join police operations.
Casiple believes that Robredo accepted the ICAD post because it was her mandate as an elected official.
He said Robredo disregarded various perspectives, including those of her allies, who thought she would step into a political trap.
For Atienza, it was a given that there would be people who would want Robredo to fail.
Meetings
Robredo on Monday met with United Nations (UN) representatives and anti-drug groups to discuss her plan to rebrand the administration’s anti-narcotics campaign.
She met with officials of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime on Monday morning, according to Boyet Dy of the Office of the Vice President.
The discussion included exemplary practices of Southeast Asian countries.
Robredo also met with the core members of the Community-Based Drug Rehab Alliance (CoBRA), which is composed of public groups, civil society groups and faith-based organizations.
Those who attended the afternoon briefing were Jess Lorenzo of SeaOil Foundation, Bok Labastilla of the Caloocan Anti-Drug Abuse Council, Vanna Gonzales of the Lost Sheep Initiative, and Amy Hernandez of Kaya Natin Movement.
The vice president said the group aims to have a set of concrete proposals, including community-based approaches that will address the drug problems.
Other members of CoBRA are religious groups such as Caritas Manila; the Archdioceses of Cagayan de Oro, Cebu; Diocese of Legazpi, San Jose, Nueva Ecija, Novaliches, Caloocan and Malolos Bulacan; nonprofit groups Narcotics Anonymous, Sobriety Foundation, Dilaab Foundation, and public groups such as the Caloocan Anti-drug Abuse Council, Philippine National Police-Community Relations, the Office of the San Juan Vice Mayor, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Department of Health, and the Department o the Interior and Local Government.
Senate President Vicente Sotto 3rd, however, advised Robredo to study first the function of the inter-agency body before asking for a higher budget.
“Palagay ko hindi pa niya kabisado ‘yung trabaho ng inter-agency kasi hindi naman ‘yun ang magpapatupad (I think she is not yet familiar with the job of the inter-agency because that is not the one which will implement [the drug war]),” Sotto said.
“The budget ay nandoon sa iba’t-ibang agencies. So, siguro mabuting i-research muna nilang mabuti (The budget is with the [concerned] different agencies. So, they must do some research first),” he added.
“There might be some misunderstanding as far as funding is concerned. What I know is that they have enough [budget]. Now, the inter-agency, they have a say on policy but they do not have a say in the budget of the different agencies,” Sotto said.
with GLEE JALEA AND BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO