Aquino: Can you appoint someone you don't trust? That's a little confusing

MANILA, Philippines — Why appoint someone you don't trust?

This was former President Benigno Aquino III's comment on President Rodrigo Duterte's admitted lack of trust in Vice President Leni Robredo, who has been designated co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs but will only get confidential information on the "war on drugs" on a need-to-know basis.

"Let us go back to the criteria of why you appoint someone," he told reporters in Filipino on the sidelines of an indignation run held to call for the release of detained Sen. Leila de Lima. 

"Why would you appoint someone to a post? We have been there. First of all, the person can do the job. You trust them to do the job and you believe that they will do the job correctly."

Aquino said: "If you don't have all of that, then don't appoint them."

At an impromptu press briefing at Malacañang late Tuesday night, Dutetre said Vice President Leni Robredo will not get "drug war" data she has been asking for because of a lack of trust.

"My problem with Robredo is she talks too much. If that is the way her mouth behaves there can be no position for her," he said.

"The problem is I cannot trust her not only because she is with the opposition. I do not trust her because I do not know her."

Duterte said Robredo's access to information as ICAD co-chair, particularly for confidential matters, would be on a need-to-know basis.

Robredo again asked the president to clarify her role in the committee, which she co-chairs with Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director General Aaron Aquino.

"For me, I will do my mandate in the ICAD to synergize the task of the agencies, to harmonize their jobs. And my experience now shows that most of them are very supportive, very cooperative," she said.

Aquino, on Monday, stressed: "You made the designation. Can you appoint someone who you don't trust? That's a little confusing."

"Normally, if you appoint someone, you trust them."