CEBU CITY, Philippines — Senator Christopher “Bong” Go urged Vice President Leni Robredo to work hard as the anti-illegal drugs czar so that no new drug lords can take root in the country under her leadership.

The senator even challenged Robredo to “kill” the drug lords, if necessary, and inform the administration if she can’t do so.

“Kung kaya mong patayin ang mga drug lord, patayin mo. Kung hindi, sabihin mo sa amin. (If you can kill the drug lords, kill them. If you can’t, tell us),” said Go.

This was the senator’s challenge to Robredo 16 days after the Vice President accepted the appointment of President Rodrigo Duterte to make her the co-chairman of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-illegal Drugs on November 7, 2019.

Go was in Cebu on Saturday, November 23, 2019, to distribute aid to the 1,300 individuals displaced by the fire that burned 100 houses on November 14, 2019 in Mandaue City.

In a press conference, Go said that Robredo should aim to improve the campaign against illegal drugs that “82 percent of Filipinos approved of.”

“Basin kaya niya himoong 90 (percent), why not? Ang ako lang, ayaw padaghana ang drug lords. Huwag mong hayaan madagdagan ang mga drug lords, huwag mong hayaang madagdagan ang biktima ng illegal na droga,” said Go.

(Maybe she can increase to 90 percent the approval rating of the Filipinos on the campaign against illegal drugs, why not? As for me, I only hope she won’t let the drug lords proliferate. Don’t let their number grow, and don’t let the number of victims of illegal drugs grow.)

Go, the President’s closest political ally, said that if Robredo would seek the help of the administration or the Senate, he would gladly help her because this would be for the interest of the Filipinos.

Go said he fully supports the decision of President Duterte to appoint Robredo as the anti-illegal drug czar and said this is Robredo’s time to prove herself to the people.

Robredo, who is a critic of the President’s war on drugs, said that as the anti-illegal drugs czar, she would shift the campaign’s focus on preventing unnecessary killings and on the rehabilitation of drug users.

She has met with various international organizations such as the United Nations (UN) representatives, who are critical to Duterte’s war on drugs.

This move of Robredo irked the President causing him to retract his previous statement to appoint Robredo into the Cabinet.

Robredo said she will not resign as the anti-illegal drugs czar until she is ordered to do so. /elb