Transcript of Interview with Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon

SFMD: The Vice President accepted the offer. Dahil para sa kanya, kung sa paraang ito ay maayos ang ating problema sa droga and we can change the strategy, she is willing to take that position, the challenge. We are in the opposition and we will continue to fiscalize, but this demonstrates that the opposition is willing to cooperate with government in cases of issues which are of primary importance.

In this drug war, the deaths caused by the tokhang campaign is something that we did not agree with and we will continue to do something and the Vice President has taken the task of trying to correct this.

Huwag nating kalimutan na dalawa't kalahating taon na lang ang kasalukuyang administrasyon at maikling panahon na lang iyan para maituwid yung mga polisiya. Having said that, the Vice President is willing to help in such a limited period of time.

Q: Yung top agenda niya is to address the killings?

SFMD: She said he wants to review the anti-drug war and maybe to start with, get the data. Ano ba talaga ang sitwasyon natin?

Q: Walang pre-condition? Basta she accepted it.

SFMD: Walang pre-condition.

Q: Ang sabi ni Sen. Go baka raw maraming madamay na innoncent this time kasi ibe-baby niya yung mga drug lords.

SFMD: Bakit hindi natin pagbigyan? Allow her to perform her work. hindi pa nag-uumpisa, binabatikos na natin.

Q: Ang isang critic din wala siyang background?

SFMD: Siguro hindi sang-ayon doon ang Pangulo dahilan sa kahit walang background ay in-appoint niya. Hindi naman siya nag-apply. In-appoint siya ng Presidente. Siguro naniniwala ang Presidente na may sapat na kakayahan ang Vice President.

Q: How will you make sure na hindi ba siya masasabotahe?

SFMD: That is the risk that she takes. As against that risk, hindi naman pwedeng hindi niya tanggapin ang pagkakataon that she can save lives out of the deadly tokhang campaign. Even if she can only save one life, she will do it.

Q: Hindi ba politika ito, pinapalabas nila na si VP ay corrupt?

SFMD: I do not know their intentions in Malacanang but the Vice President took on its face value and would want to help in the anti-drug war in the manner consistent with the rule of law.

Q: Ano yung appeal ninyo sa public?

SFMD: Suportahin natin. Ito ay problema na akala ng Pangulo at matatapos ng six months. Ngayon ay tatlong taon na ang nakakalipas at nandiyan pa rin at dalawang taon at kalahati na lang ang naiiwan.

Q: Are there apprehensions that she might be included in the ICC?

SFMD: She will not endorse any policy which would involve extra-judicial killings. I don't see that possibility.

Q: No more tokhang under her?

SFMD: I am sure that she will advocate for that. she has already that she is against his tokhang campaign.

Q: Yung full support ng mga authorities?

SFMD: The President told them to provide full support.

SFMD: We look at this from the point of view of being able to help in the anti-drug campaign and there is nothing political here. Politics is not involved. Ito ay tulong dahil tatlong taon na mahigit ang nakakaraan, mayroon pa rin tayong problema sa droga. Tutulong tayo sa nalalabing dalawang taon at kalahati.

Q: Is three years enough to make a significant change?

SFMD: I do not know. Not only two and half years, it's less than that kasi kampanya na sa 2022. We are talking probably about two years.

Q: Yung legality raw na walang co-chair doon sa EO?

SFMD: They should amend the EO to provide for a co-chair, because the EO - I haven't examined it thoroughly and I just looked at the composition - the chairman is the PDEA. That must be amended.

Q: Pwedeng mag-perform si VP kahit hindi pa naayos?

SFMD: Yes, the important is being able to help.

Q: Kahit wala siyang full, sole authority?

SFMD: The sole authority is the President. It is up to the President to delegate some of the authority for the sake of having a successful anti-illegal drug campaign in the next two and a half years. She must be equipped with the appropriate authority and budget in order to perform her functions.