Seems like President Rodrigo Roa Duterte may have found a convenient excuse to formally detach himself from his nightmare, which is the anti-drugs campaign in the person of Vice president Leni Robredo. Duterte is expected to sign a letter addressed to Robredo, formally asking her to assume the lead in the anti-drugs war.

Days ago, Duterte dared Robredo to personally take charge of the drugs war, after her comments against it before Reuters, an international news organization. In her interview, Robredo asked the Duterte administration to re-assess and thereafter, implement a new strategy.

Robredo’s interview did not sit well with the palace. Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo criticized Robredo for not being a team player while Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano cautioned Robredo for saying things against the government since she is the second highest official of the land.

To make matters worst for Robredo, Duterte dared the vice president, asking her to accept the challenge of leading the anti-drugs campaign for six months.

Instead of directly accepting the challenge, Robredo’s camp somewhat took a long time offering an answer. Robredo tried to parlay Duterte’s charge by raising a different tack. It did not work.

Robredo and the Liberals tried to pull a fast one against Duterte but sorry guys, it disastrously failed. The vice president should have accepted the challenge despite the impossibility of its success.

Senate president Vicente Sotto III came to her rescue, by suggesting that maybe the best fit for her is to head the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) or the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). If I’m Robredo, I will probably consider this as an escape from the challenge.

Or maybe, Robredo should accept and form a Task Force composed of idealistic members of the police and AFP elements. Lay down a plan and implement it. Fire her propagandists and move forward.