MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo has on Wednesday (13 November 2019) met with a delegation from the United States to discuss possible partnerships to help fight the threat of illegal drugs.

The US embassy sent a statement via e-mail stating: “Upon request of Vice President Leni Robredo, an interagency US government working-level delegation comprised of officers from the United States Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Agency, the Department of State and US Agency for International Development briefed on the current state of US-Philippines counter-narcotics cooperation, and on ongoing and potential US government-funded programs to assist the Philippine government efforts in drug demand reduction.”

Robredo told media earlier that she wants to meet with U.S. Embassy officials and discuss how the U.S. government could aid in prosecuting drug lords, especially through intelligence and information sharing.

When it comes to counter-narcotics efforts the two nations have been cooperating for a long time, from preparation to sharing information that has led to major drug bust.

When President Rodrigo Duterte was appointed co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) almost a week ago, Robredo outlined her plans to change the government’s brutal drug war to a more “humane approach” and halt “unnecessary” killings.

While some of Robredo’s supporters warned her that Robredo’s offer might be a “trap,” the vice president said that she accepted the job as she saw it as an opportunity to stop the killings.

Robredo said earlier that she will seek help from the various international and local groups as well. 

VP Leni said the Philippines can learn a lot from other countries ‘ experiences, particularly those who have successfully carried out an anti-drug campaign using an approach to public health. (Marian Andrei Sinamban/IAMIGO/CNS)