Panelo denies Duterte offered Robredo 'non-existent' drug czar post

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo denied that President Rodrigo Duterte offered Vice President Leni Robredo a "non-existent" post.

Malacañang earlier released a memo dated October 31 designating Robredo as co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) until June 2022.

While the vice president herself has yet to respond on the offer, her spokesman said the memo "has no substance at all."

“It’s clear from the memorandum that we received that there’s nothing in it,” lawyer Barry Gutierrez told reporters in Filipino, adding that the move was just a mere show.

According to Gutierrez, EO 15 that created the ICAD does not include the position of a co-chairperson.

Panelo, however, claimed that Duterte "has the exclusive and and awesome prerogative of control over all offices and officials in the Executive Branch."

According to Panelo, the president was simply being open to suggestions from a drug war critic upon offering the position to the vice president.

Duterte's spokesman urged Robredo to accept the designation with the ICAD.

"We advise the vice president to reflect and give the matter a careful thought. Sleep over it. The challenge of meaningful public service necessarily involves a huge burden. Public office is public trust," Panelo said in a statement.

Panelo also said the administration believes Robredo is capable of rising up to the challenge of taking a role in the anti-narcotics campaign.

"The vice president is welcome to the Cabinet. It is a golden opportunity worth taking. This is her moment. She should seize it. Destiny beckons. History awaits her," Panelo said.

Robredo used to be a Cabinet member when she led the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council from July to December 2016.

The vice president tendered her resignation after Duterte's directive for her to "desist from attending all Cabinet meetings" following their opposing views on issues such as the burial of late President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, extra-judicial killings, reinstating the death penalty, among others. 

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