Who's next?

She could attend Cabinet meetings if she accepts the position of co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD). She is the president's alter-ego concerning anti-illegal drug matters and will be given “all the support.” After Vice President Robredo accepted, she now could only attend Cabinet meetings if illegal drugs were on the agenda. Now, she cannot attend Cabinet meetings because President Duterte himself said her post as drug czar isn’t a cabinet rank. I wonder what the next move or statement from the Palace will be? To quote a movie line, “Well maybe not out...but certainly being handed your hat.”

Robredo assured the administration that she wouldn’t share state secrets with other governments, which is what administration allies are now harping on her. This after Robredo talked to representatives of the different US agencies also involved in the fight against illegal drugs. She even wants to talk to Beijing regarding the influx of crystal meth from China. The Palace said Duterte may remove her if state secrets are shared. Senator Lacson is asking the Palace to clearly define the work of the vice president whom she is now helping, especially so contradicting statements are not made.

Just recently, PNP OIC Police Lieutenant General Archie Gamboa also said that Robredo does not have to possess the list of high-value targets. But if Duterte himself has made public his narco lists every time, why can't the VP have a similar list? There seems to be a concerted effort to give her a hard time, for her not to be able to do the work supposedly offered to her by no less than the president. Criticisms from the Senate President to the House Speaker. She was even disparaged by Senator Dela Rosa to "make do with what resources you have" when the former said the P15 million allocated to the ICAD was not enough. I wonder if the PNP and the AFP received a similar response from any lawmaker when asking for more funds? Dela Rosa should have a book similar to former president Estrada's “ERAPtions.”

Then there is this telling reminder from DILG Undersecretary Ricojudge Echeverri to Robredo of "walang laglagan". What exactly that means is up for interpretation but to me it seems that should Robredo come up or discover anything that might be illegal, she should be part of the team and not "throw anyone under the bus", seeing that Robredo is a member of the opposition. So now we have comments from PDEA, PNP, DILG, and the Palace. Who's next? The DOJ? I believe I remember Secretary Guevarra saying Robredo's failure is a failure of the ICAD, countering the belief that the vice president was being set up for failure. Will he change his tune as well? Robredo is now saying the budget of the DOH for drug rehab should be bigger. Will Secretary Duque shoot her down too?