By Charissa Luci-Atienza

Instead of joining drug raids, Vice President Leni Robredo should focus on creating a policy that would “police” enforcers, especially those who are in cahoots with drug syndicates.

House of the Representatives (ALVIN KASIBAN / MANILA BULLETIN / FILE PHOTO)

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers and Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. said it would be better for Robredo not to join the anti-illegal drugs raids and operations of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

“Creating a policy policing enforcers involved in illegal drugs should be her focus since the mandate of the ICAD (Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs) is a policy-making body,” Barbers, chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, said in an interview.

He also rallied behind Robredo’s proposal to increase the budget of ICAD and the law enforcement agencies.

Barzaga also advised Robredo not to join drug raids, explaining that “it is a practice that high officials do not join the operation not only because of the danger to their lives but also they are not well versed nor competent to conduct drug operations.”

“A lot of people is looking at the actions of the Vice President regarding the drug problem in most case if she will be joining the drug operations, in all likelihood the media, whether she likes it or not would normally follow her thus the possibility of compromising the operation,” he said.

“If she really wants to find out how the operation was conducted she should be immediately present once the operation is completed so she can personally see the inventory of the items ceased, the persons who were arrested, and even ask witnesses the manner of how the operation was conducted,” the House leader pointed out.

He noted as co-chairman of the ICAD, she has the right to know beforehand the operations and she can monitor the operation by asking from time to time the updates of the operation during the actual raid.

Barzaga earlier said Robredo should be given a leeway to prove her worth as co-chairman of the ICAD.

Last week, Robredo accepted the drug czar post offered by President Duterte to her.

Read more: Robredo accepts drug czar post