MANILA, Philippines — Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice questioned President Rodrigo Duterte's supposed challenge to "transfer enforcement powers" in the government's "war on drugs" to Vice President Leni Robredo, an offer that the Palace insists is serious and sincere.
Carpio, in an interview with ANC’s “Headstart” Thursday, said: “It doesn’t compute when the president says: ‘OK, I’ll give you six months to do it.’ Because he cannot do it in six months himself.”
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He also pointed out that Duterte, during his campaign, imposed on himself the six-month deadline to end drugs and criminality. A deadline that the president failed to meet despite it being one of the main points on his platform.
Carpio then quoted the president: “And after 6 months, he said: ‘I cannot do it in six months. I need one year. After a while, he said, I cannot do it within my term and even maybe after my term.”
Sen. Francis Pangilinan, a member of the Senate minority and president of the decimated Liberal Party, also noted that six month is too short for the “transfer of enforcement powers” to put an end to the illegal narcotics trade.
Three months into his presidency, Duterte asked for a six-month extension to put an end to the country’s drug problem.
In August 2017, Duterte admitted that he was wrong in assuming he can eradicate illegal drugs in three to six months. He said that he did not know that police and the Bureau of Customs, agencies he “thought were his allies” are involved in the narcotics trade.
Robredo earlier suggested that there should be a review of the Duterte government’s controversial "war on drugs" and that some aspects of it could be tweaked.
A seemingly irate Duterte said in response that if Robredo is “brighter,” then he would let her handle it.
The president told reporters last Monday, October 28: “I am sending a letter to her through Executive Secretary [Salvador] Medialdea. I will surrender the power to enforce the law, I will give it to the vice president, I will let her have it for six months.”
'Offer must be in writing'
Carpio earlier said the president, being the chief executive, has the authority to delegate certain powers, but it has to be in writing.
“Because... there are responsibilities once you assume certain powers,” he added.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo acknowledged Wednesday that there is nothing about the supposed offer in writing yet.
Carpio also said that the extent of delegation of authority remains unknown including people or agencies that would be placed under Robredo.
“It’s [a] very broad proposal and it’s very difficult to define what kind of work the person to whom it is delegated will do,” the retired justice added.
Panelo maintained that he already sent a text message to a number that he said was Robredo's asking the vice president, the second highest-ranking official in the Philippines, if she will accept the offer.
READ: Nothing in writing, but Panelo insists offer for Robredo to be 'drug czar' is serious
Robredo has refused to comment on the offer, saying she does not think Duterte was serious when he said it.
She said she would rather focus on more pressing matters.