MANILA, Philippines — Within hours of being removed as co-chair of the Inter-agency Committee on Anti-illegal Drugs, Vice President Leni Robredo on Monday announced her work against the country’s drug problem would still continue.

“Noong tinanggap ko ang trabahong ito, ang una kong tinanong sa kanila ay, ‘handa na ba kayo sa akin?’ Ngayon, ang tanong ko, ano ba ang kinatatakutan niyo?” she said at a live-streamed press conference.

(What are you scared of me finding out? What are you scared of the people finding out?)

Three-week tenure

President Rodrigo Duterte fired Robredo on Sunday less than three weeks after she was appointed co-chair of ICAD.

Duterte said at a press conference on November 19 where he said he did not trust Robredo, citing her being a member of the minority Liberal Party and her allegedly inviting a “prosecutor” to the country. He has since apologized for believing “false news” about the vice president’s invitation.

He also announced he would limit the information she received to a need-to-know basis.

“Mr. President, hindi ko hiningi ang posisyong ito. Pero sineryoso ko ang trabahong ipinasa niyo,” Robredo said.

(Mr. President, I didn’t ask for this position. But I took the work that you passed onto me seriously.)

“Ang hiling ng taumbayan, isang gobyernong tunay na kampeon laban sa iligal na droga. Alalahanin natin na ang mga droga at drug lord ang kalaban. Hindi ako, at lalong hindi ang taong bayan.”

(What the people need is a government that truly champions the fight against illegal drugs. Remember that drugs and drug lords are the enemy. The enemy is not me, and definitely not the people.)

Report coming soon

In closing her speech, the vice president also said that she would be giving a report in the coming days to share her findings and recommendations. She also expressed her resolve to continue fighting illegal drugs despite her removal from the ICAD.

“Makakaasa kayo, kahit tinanggalan ako ng posisyon, hinding-hindi nila kayang tanggalin ang aking determinasyon itigil ang patayan, panagutin ang kailangang managot, at ipanalo ang kampanya laban sa iligal na droga,” she said.

“Kung sa tingin nilang matatapos ito dito, hindi nila ako kilala. Nagsisimula pa lamang ako.”

(You can expect that even though I was stripped of my rank, they cannot take away my determination. My determination to end the killings, bring to justice those who need to answer for their doings, and win the campaign against illegal drugs. If they think this ends here, then they do not know me. I am only getting started.)

This is a developing story