De Lima defends Robredo, agrees war on drugs a “failure”

(Eagle News) — Senator Leila de Lima defended Vice President Leni Robredo following criticisms of her report that said the drug war was a “massive failure.”

“Nakakatawa panoorin ang mga apologist ng Malacañang magkumahog na ipagtanggol ang palyadong war on drugs. Andami na nilang nasabi, pero puro insulto lamang laban kay VP Leni. Wala daw alam si VP Leni sa war on drugs pero sila mismo, hindi nila maintindihan ang sarili nilang datos. Simple lang naman ang usapan, ano ba ang sinasabi ng datos nila?” De Lima said in a statement.

According to De Lima, based on data from the government itself, authorities confiscated only one percent of the  estimated 156,000 kilograms of shabu consumed in a year.

She said the 156, 0000 kilograms was worth P1.3 trillion, but the Anti-Money Laundering Council only froze P1.4 billion.

“Sa sinasabi nilang 4 na milyon na drug user, 1.5 million lang ang kilala nila, saan na yung 2.5 million? Sa sinasabi nilang lampas isang milyon na sumuko o inaresto, ilan na ang nakasuhan? Ilan na ang pinalaya? Ilan na ang binigyan ng mga karampatang interventions? Ilan na ang pinatay? Sinu-sino yung high-value targets? May aksyon na bang ginawa laban sa kanila? Alam ba ng (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) ang sagot sa mga tanong na ito?” she asked.

PDEA has, however, disputed the data.

According to De Lima, the administration also needs to explain what it has done to deter ninja cops and explain what has happened to the Chinese druglords who were released from Bilibid and their protectors, and to the drugs smuggled through Customs.

She said President Rodrigo Duterte’s “minions” were merely “deceiving” the public “by making it appear that we are winning the war on drugs because we have already killed tens of thousands of our countrymen even though the data from PNP and PDEA do not show significant gains.”

“Ang pagkapanalo sa war on drugs ay hindi batay lang sa pakiramdam o sa propaganda ng trapo. Kailangan ng malinaw na datos. Kailangan ng malinaw na aksyon laban sa katiwalian. Hindi na kailangan mang insulto ng sinuman. Gawin na lang natin ang trabaho natin,” De Lima said.

Robredo released her report on the drug war last week, after postponing its release at least two times due to unforeseen events that included an earthquake in Mindanao.

President Duterte, however, slammed Robredo following her criticism of the drug war, calling her a “colossal blunder.”

Robredo stood by her report, saying the data she used came from the government.