By Genalyn Kabiling

The Duterte government has nothing to hide in terms of drug war-related records, Malacañang said Sunday in the wake of reports Vice President Leni Robredo was supposedly open to a potential international inquiry on the campaign.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo maintained that the government records on the anti-drug operations are open to public scrutiny.

“Unang-una wala naman tinatago ang gobyerno sa mga record. Nakabukas naman ‘yan eh [First of all, the government is not hiding anything in the records. They are open],” Panelo said in a radio interview .

“Yung intelligence report na sinasaabi mo, wala rin masama doon dahil pag sinabi mong intelligence report, eh ‘di kung sino involved sa droga nandoon at ‘yun naman ang sunuşundan na mga ahensya [On the intelligence reports, there are also nothing wrong with that because when you say intelligence reports, it involves the people involved in drugs that are being pursued by the agencies],” he said.

Panelo was reacting to queries if the Palace was concerned that now that Robredo has access to drug war-related documents, the records might be used before the international court or any foreign body probing the anti-drug campaign.

Robredo, designated as the country’s new anti-drug czar, recently disclosed that the United Nations human rights probers may step in if the governmen fails to investigate and punish the alleged abuses in the war on drugs. She said she has no problems inviting them over if the government does nothing to bring to justice those accountable for alleged offenses.

But for now, Robredo insisted that the country’s problems should be first solved internally.

President Duterte previously rejected any foreign inquiry into his controversial bloody drug war, insisting it was a form of interference on the domestic affairs of a sovereign state.

Amid plans of Robredo to reassess the drug war, the Palace asserted that the Vice President should be given space to present and implement her strategy in fighting the drug menace without interference from “quarter backers” and “nitpickers.”

And if Robredo cooperates with foreign governments and bodies in implementing the anti-drug campaign, Panelo said it was up to the Vice President to make the decision.

He assured that the administration will support Robredo in the anti-drug campaign as he urged the public to extend the same cooperation.

“Hayaan natin si VP Leni as drug czar na gumawa ng kanyang diskarte. Hindi puwedeng maraming quarter backers, maraming nitpickers, maraming haka-haka, maraming mga speculation. Hayaan natin muna magtrabaho ‘yung ale. Pabayaan natin, suportahan natin [Let VP Leni as drug czar perform her task. There should be too many quarter backers, nitpickers, speculations. Let her do her job. Let’s support her],” he said.

He bewailed that Robredo has barely started her job but has already drawn intrigues, “roadblocks,” and speculations about her supposed imminent failure. “Let’s wish her well, let’s support her,” he added.

Panelo also agreed with Senator Panfilo Lacson’s advice to Robredo to watch her back. He said Robredo’s political rivals and detractors were probably out to discredit her. Among those trying to malign Robredo were her possible rivals if she runs for president in 2022, Panelo said.

“Lahat ng politiko ay they should be watching their backs at marami silang mga lihim na kaaway,” he added.