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| President Rodrigo "Rody" Roa Duterte with Vice President Leni Robredo |
She also called for law enforcement agencies to investigate the spate of killings in the past weeks
Robredo reiterated her confidence in the President to do what is right and legal
MANILA, Philippines – The Vice President of the republic has expressed alarm over the rising statistics of drug-related killings in the country, barely two weeks after the current administration took helm of the government.
In a statement on her official website, Vice President Leni Robredo said she supports President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration that the all-out campaign against illegal drugs remains within the boundaries of the law of the land.
However, Robredo said she is concerned about the recent spate of killings across the country where victims are either executed by suspected vigilantes or killed by authorities for resisting arrest.
“Subalit sa loob lamang ng halos isang buwan, may naitala nang mahigit isandaang kaso ng pagpatay na may kaugnayan sa iligal na droga,” the statement read.
[But in just a span of one month, there have been more than a hundred deaths recorded which are related to illegal drugs.]
“Kaisa man tayo sa giyera kontra sa ipinagbabawal na gamot, nababahala tayo sa lumalakas na kultura ng vigilantism at karahasan. Umaasa tayo na sa giyerang ito, hindi nadadamay ang buhay ng mga inosente at mga walang kalaban-laban,” it added.
[While we are one with the war against illegal drugs, we are nonetheless alarmed by the rising culture of vigilantism and violence. We are hoping that in this war, the lives of the innocent and the weak are spared.]
Robredo released the statement one day after she attended the second Cabinet meeting presided by no less than President Duterte at the Malacañang on Monday.
One of the topics reportedly discussed in the meeting is the administration’s thrust to combat illegal drugs.
In the July 11 “The Kill List”, which is regularly updated by Inquirer, there have been 136 recorded drug-related deaths since Duterte and Robredo assumed office last June 30, and a total of 183 victims were recorded since May 10, or one day after the national election.
Robredo, herself a former prosecutor and a judge, urged all concerned agencies to investigate these killings and prosecute those who would be found to have gone above the limits of the law.
“Kung may mapatutunayang sangkot dito, inaasahan natin na sila’y papanagutin sa batas at maparurusahan sa kanilang ikinilos,” she said.
[If anyone is found involded in these, we are hoping they will be held liable under the law and punished accordingly.]
Nevertheless, the former Camarines Sur representative reiterated her confidence in the President, who is also a lawyer and a government prosecutor, to do what is right and lawful.
