Leni Robredo postponed her scheduled report as Ex Drug Czar. Following her unceremonious removal from the Duterte Administration War on Drugs, the Vice President vowed to continue fighting and threatened to conduct a no-holds barred press conference. She, however, relented due to the ongoing Southeast Asian Games. Not a very opportune time to bash the government involved in hosting a regional sports meet. So December 16 it was going to be, days after the highly successful and internationally praised SEA Games. In the duration, she and her spokesperson intimated that no names would be revealed. What? No BIG FISH? Just simple lessons and recommendations on how to pursue the Drug War? Now, she stated that the report would have to be deferred due to an earthquake that struck Mindanao (actually this one is just another massive temblor experienced in the last few weeks). Holding a forty page document that is shouting to be revealed, we would have to wait until the much anticipated expose is finally out in the open (hopefully, someone gets to leak the story to satisfy our curiosity). Next week just happens to be Christmas week so, in all probability, she would not spoil our Noche Buena. New Year week comes after that. Then Three Kings week. So at the earliest we might be looking at the first or second week of January. With such a delay, we are hoping that we do not get bored with what she has to say because she is the point person (as the highest ranking Liberal Party elected official) for the 2022 Presidential elections. Coming from a ZERO performance in the 2019 senatorial contest, the opposition is still bleeding heavily (what with the FAKE NEWS emanating from the BIASED MAINSTREAM MEDIA which can only remove points from Leni and company).

Gov’t drug war data scrutinized in upcoming Robredo report

Christian V. Esguerra, ABS-CBN News

December 16, 2019

MANILA—Vice President Leni Robredo said Monday her upcoming report would respond to claims contained in a new government documentary and magazine defending its drug war, which has killed thousands in the past 3 years.

“Kabahagi ng report namin,” said Robredo, who put off the release of the 40-page report and instead appealed for help for victims of the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that hit Davao del Sur on Sunday.

Two days before that, Malacañang had premiered a documentary titled “Gramo” (gram) on government TV and social media accounts, defending the anti-drug campaign, which has been widely criticized by human rights groups.

A separate magazine, also released by the Presidential Communications Operations Office last week, summarized the gains of the drug war under President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Contrary to the belief that the Philippines’ war on drugs is a ‘large-scale murdering enterprise,’ the government has shown high regard for human lives,” according to the publication titled “Saving the Future of a Nation: Countering Hard Drugs.”

The government report cited 5,779 fatalities during police anti-drug operations from July 2016 to August this year.

The Philippine National Police earlier pegged the number at around 6,600 but later placed the official figure at at least 5,500 as vetted by the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs.

WHY DELAY?

Robredo has repeatedly expressed concern over human rights violations in Duterte’s drug war.

During her short stint as co-chair of Duterte’s anti-drug coordinating committee, the vice president highlighted the need for community-based rehabilitation, citing studies that showed only 10 percent of users required in-patient treatment.

Malacañang spokesman Salvador Panelo hit Robredo for delaying release of her findings while sitting in the anti-narcotics body.

“What’s taking her so long?” he told reporters. 

Robredo’s spokesman, lawyer Barry Gutierrez, criticized Panelo for trying to “score political points when we’re in the middle of a tragedy.”

“Kung hindi naiintindihan ni Secretary Panelo kung bakit ipinagpaubaya ng ating bise presidente ang pag-release ng report ngayong umaga pagkatapos nung lindol na nangyari kahapon, eh siguro totoong wala syang puso at malasakit para sa ating mga kababayan,” Gutierrez told reporters.

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VP Robredo postpones release of drug war report after powerful quake

ABS-CBN News

December 16, 2019

Vice President Leni Robredo postponed Monday the release of her report on the government’s war on drugs after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck in Davao del Sur, the fifth earthquake above magnitude 6.0 to hit Mindanao since October. 

“Minabuti namin na ipagpaliban muna…Panahon na ito na magkaisa tayo,” she said, adding she received word that at least 8 to 10 people were killed in Sunday’s quake. 

She urged the public to donate tents and drinking water for affected residents, saying many people in Mindanao have been traumatized by the series of temblors. 

Speaking to radio DZMM, Robredo said she is still consulting her team on the best time to go to Davao.

“Tinitingnan natin. Unang-una, ‘yung gastos, itulong na lang natin. Pangalawa, aasikasuhin pa tayo ng mga opisyal dun. So dapat sana, busy sila ngayon eh. Tantiyahin natin pero ang team natin ay ready kahapon pa. Hinintay lang namin ‘yung listahan ng kailangan at ngayon kailangan nila tent at drinking water,” she said. 

Renato Solidum, head of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said the quake could have been caused by the Tambulan Fault, which has a “low” chance of generating another tremor with a maximum magnitude of 7.2.

Some 442 aftershocks, the strongest of which is magnitude 5.2, have hit the region as of 4 a.m. Monday, he said. 

#Duterte #Leni Robredo #WarOnDrugs