Leni rebuts Rody on rehab of drug addicts

MANILA, Philippines – Using public funds for the rehabilitation of drug addicts is “never a waste of money,” Vice President Leni Robredo said yesterday.

Robredo issued the statement in reaction to President Duterte’s remark that if he had his way he would have stopped the appropriation of P1 billion to put up rehabilitation centers all over the country.

Robredo said the government must help drug addicts in managing and eventually stopping their drug use.

“Investing on the health and well being of our people is never a waste of money. Drug addiction is a health issue, and medical experts have labeled it as a mental illness,” she said.

She also said community-based rehabilitation is an option that should be available to Filipinos who have fallen into addiction.

The Vice President noted the government must also focus on the causes of drug use and addiction such as poverty and lack of economic opportunity to truly end the drug problem.

“We have expressed our support for President Duterte’s fight against drug use and drug-related criminality, and we hope for a life-giving lens as we continue to find solutions,” she said.

Robredo also cautioned Duterte against threatening to kill mayors believed to be involved in illegal drugs.

“We hope the President was only exaggerating when he talked of killing mayors included in his drug list,” she said.

“We also caution the President in making such pronouncements. We believe in the rule of law and believe that only the courts can decide if mayors in the drug list are guilty or innocent,” she added.