MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang should instead just fire Vice President Leni Robredo as government’s drug czar than insult her with declarations of distrust, opposition Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said Friday.

“Kung ayaw nila si VP Leni bilang drug czar, walang pumipigil sa kanila na tanggalin siya sa nasabing pwesto,” Pangilinan said in a statement.

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(If they do not want VP Leni as drug czar, no one is stopping them from removing her from the said post.)

“Itigil na nila ang pananakot na tatangalin si VP Leni sa pwesto at itigil din ang pasaring at pang-iinuslto na hindi maaring pagkatiwalaan si VP Leni. Hindi kapit-tuko sa pwestong drug czar si VP Leni,” he added.

(They should stop threatening to fire VP Leni and stop insulting her by saying she cannot be trusted. She is not tenacious to her drug czar post.)

Pangilinan issued the statement following President Rodrigo Duterte’s threat to remove Robredo from her post as co-chair of the Inter-agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs should she share state secrets with foreign entities.

Malacañang also reminded the Vice President that “trust is earned” as her “missteps” did not assure confidence in keeping to oneself classified information of the government.

Robredo had earlier met with US officials for a possible collaboration on the country’s campaign against illegal drugs.

“Marahil hindi nila inaasahan na tatanggapin ni VP Leni ang pwestong inalok nila kaya walang tigil ang mga puna at batikos na walang basehan,” Pangilinan said.

(Perhaps, they did not expect that VP Leni would accept the post they offered that is why they are non-stop with their baseless tirades.)

“Hindi na natin papatulan ang mga gawa-gawang kwento ng Malakanyang laban kay VP Leni. Walang kwenta, walang basehan, at gawa-gawa lang ang mga kwentong ito,” he added.

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(We will not anymore engage with the made-up stories of Malacañang against VP Leni. These are worthless and baseless stories.)

Meanwhile, the Vice President said she has no plans of leaving her post unless Duterte says so.

Edited by KGA

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