MANILA, Philippines – What “failed drug war?”

Malacañang hit back Thursday at Vice President Leni Robredo for saying the government’s fight against illegal drugs is “not working.”

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“We ask ourselves, ‘why is this still happening?’ The President has already made very serious threats to drug syndicates, to drug lords … and yet it’s still very prevalent, so obviously, it’s not working. We have seen a lot of police that have abused their powers and not been penalized,” Robredo told wire news agency Reuters.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Malacañang was no longer surprised when Robredo “again demonized the President and this administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.”

“With all due respect to the office she holds, the VP’s latest remarks are unquestionably bereft of factual basis and devoid of recognition of the successes that the war on illegal drugs has reaped,” Panelo said in a statement.

He said Robredo “is echoing the lies and black propaganda of some of her colleagues in the political opposition, which to say the least is unfortunate, especially since she was part of the Cabinet when the government’s program against the drug menace was launched.”

“The fact that the drug cartel has not been totally destroyed does not mean that the fight against it has failed,” Panelo said.

“It only means that the extent and magnitude of the drug problem, which is the result of neglect and failure by past administrations to arrest or curb it, is monstrously enormous hence the administration has not wavered in the vigorous battle it has waged against it,” he added.

“It is a continuing wonderment,” Panelo said, “why VP Leni has ignored the fact that the majority of our people have recognized and have given their thumbs-up to the policy of the Chief Executive on this issue, with more than 8 out of 10 Filipinos, or 82%, expressing satisfaction with his anti-illegal drug campaign.”

”The Office of the President, therefore, suggests to our former colleague in the Cabinet to detach herself from the critics and detractors of the war on drugs whose false narratives against it have been repudiated by a majority of Filipinos,” he added.

He advised Robredo to do “more active consultation with her Filipino constituencies instead of totally relying on the insights given by her advisers whose ideas contradict the realities on the ground.“

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“She is better off without them. She should rely more on her motherly instincts and gut-feel as a lawyer,” he said.

Panelo said Duterte and his administration that are not intolerant of the criticisms from Robredo.

“This administration takes no offense from those who are critical of its policies and welcomes constructive criticisms but the same however should be based on facts and the law,” he said.

“Otherwise, they become a disinformation campaign and an abuse of the freedom of speech and of expression, and unproductive to the mature evolution of a democratic society and a hindrance to its progress,” he added./ac

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