Duterte Fires Vice President from Post on Anti-Drug Body

(Bloomberg) — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has fired Vice President Leni Robredo from a government body against illegal drugs, less than three weeks after appointing her to help run it.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea confirmed Duterte’s decision, which was first reported by CNN Philippines.

Robredo, who was elected separately from the president and heads the opposition Liberal Party, accepted Duterte’s appointment to co-chair the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs on Nov. 6. Duterte’s decision to fire Robredo came days after saying that he couldn’t trust the vice president because she was from the opposition.

The 74-year old Philippine leader, who’s been criticized for a drug war that has killed thousands of people, dared Robredo last month to run his campaign after the vice president urged a review of the program.

Since accepting the post, Robredo has called for the rehabilitation of drug users instead of going after them through police operations that have killed thousands of suspects. She has also met with officials from the U.S. and the United Nations to discuss best practices in solving the country’s illegal drug problem.Robredo has also asked a Philippine government drug enforcement agency for data including a list of high-value targets, a request that Duterte’s camp has rejected.

Robredo was housing secretary at the start of Duterte’s six-year term in June 2016 but left before the end of that year, after she was told not to attend cabinet meetings.

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–With assistance from Andreo Calonzo.

To contact the reporter on this story: Clarissa Batino in Manila at [email protected]

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Shamim Adam at [email protected], Karen Leigh, Sara Marley

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