Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 28) — President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed the new co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs, a controversial post briefly held by Vice President Leni Robredo in 2019.
Dante Jimenez, who currently heads the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, will be leading the government’s war on drugs, alongside Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director General Aaron Aquino.
Aquino in a statement said he is looking forward to working with Jimenez, noting that the anti-corruption crusader “will greatly contribute” to the fight against illegal drugs.
In November last year, Duterte appointed Robredo as anti-drug czar but fired her three weeks after.
The President said he sacked Robredo for “talking to so many nations.” Robredo met with representatives from the United States Embassy and the United Nations to discuss possible improvements in the drug war.
Robredo later said the government failed in its narcotics campaign with a measly score of 1 over 100, baring that authorities have seized less than one percent of shabu since 2016. Malacañang dubbed her findings as “dud,” saying she had no authority to recommend changes to the anti-drug program with her short stint as ICAD co-chair.
The latest list of presidential appointees includes Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Enrique Manalo, who has been named Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations. This is a post once held by now Foreign Affairs Secretary Tedoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin, Jr.
New appointments have also been made to the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine National Police.
