Cebu City (CNN Philippines) — Vice President Leni Robredo openly criticized President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs as the cause of the series of killings and bombings in the country.
During her visit to Cebu City’s minor offenders facility, Robredo admitted she is worried about the spate of killings as it seems Duterte’s war on drugs has become a license to kill innocent civilians.
Robredo said she has heard of kidnapping activities or “tokhang for ransom,” but did not elaborate on details.
“Nakakabahala in the sense na yung the rule of law nawawala na. Kahit sino pwedeng ilagay ang batas sa kanilang kamay hindi na sinusunod yung procedures na dapat sundin,” said Robredo in a press conference held at the Operation Second Chance, a juvenile offender facility in Cebu, yesterday.
[Translation: It’s troubling in the sense that the rule of law seems to have been forgotten. Anyone can take the law into their hands without following any of the procedures.]
Robredo also said the culture of hate and violence has become prevalent in the country, triggering bombings and killings in the country.
She said these are all connected.
“Kabit-kabit na parang dahil nangyayari siya dahil hindi nahahanapan ng paraan. Baka yung mensaheng binibigay niya (war on drugs), binibigyan ng lisensya yung tao na mag resort sa violence… at yun yung gusto natin na sana mahinto,” she said when sought for comment about recent killings.
[Translation: It all seems to be connected and it appears to happen because no solutions are being sought out. It could be that the message of the war on drugs is giving license to people to resort to violence… and that is what I hope to be stopped.]
The Vice President said she does not believe that “sacrifices” that lead to killing people should be made in order to solve the problem with illegal drugs.
“Parang sinasabi natin, sinasabi ng iba, na napakalaki na kasi ng problema sa droga na parang kailangan nating gawin yung sakripisyo para masolve natin itong mas malaking problema.”
[Translation: It seems that what we’re saying, according to other people, that the problem with drugs is so big that we have to make that sacrifice to solve this bigger problem.]
Robredo also visited the Cebu City Jail Facility for Women offenders located in a separate compound from the children’s facility in upland barangay Kalunasan.
During her visit to the women’s facility, Robredo told inmates to remember that they were brought inside “to reform and not as a punishment.”
During the media briefing, Robredo said it also worries her that innocent civilians have been among the casualties in the war on drugs.
She said she has heard of unscrupulous individuals who use the President’s war on drugs for kidnappings.
“Kung nababasa natin o naririnig ang mga kwentong ganon, napakarami nang lumalabas na kwento na pinatay hindi naman konektado dito o ginagawa lang na dahilan yung droga dahil dito. Lately hindi lang sa patayan pati sa kidnapping parang tokhang for ransom,” she said.
[Translation: When we hear or read of stories like that, there are so many stories coming out of people who are not connected to this issue being killed. Lately, not just killings but also kidnappings – it’s like tokhang for ransom.]
At the women’s dormitory, the Vice President interacted with some inmates who asked her for better water supply, a covered court for their family visits, and help in speeding up their cases in court.
Robredo was met by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmena and his wife, Margot, who conceptualized and then headed the children’s facility in the early 90s.
