De Lima should be investigated for dismally failing to stop illegal drugs

Neophyte Sen. Leila de Lima appears to be in an awkward spot. 

In this particularly difficult situation, it looks like the public is trying to decipher whether or not the feisty former justice secretary’ is a “fiscalizer” or a mere “heckler.”

It will be recalled that De Lima was reported by the media as having called for a Senate investigation on what she alleges to be a “spate of drug-related killings” in the past few weeks.

With her pronouncement, De Lima faces two serious problems: first, the crackdown on the illegal-drugs trade has generated nothing but awe and respect from a public experiencing decisive leadership for the first time in many years; and, there are questions as to why De Lima herself and the administration she served for six years failed to solve this problem themselves.

We give De Lima the benefit of the doubt that she has valid and good intentions when she announced that she would investigate what she believes to be “summary executions.”

However, De Lima has to admit that the public’s sentiment that she should also be investigated for dismally failing to do what it was within her powers as erstwhile justice secretary to fight the illegal-drugs trade in the country.

During her stint as justice secretary, De Lima ran two agencies that she could have tapped to help fight the menace. First was the Bureau of Corrections, which manages the New Bilibid Prisons – the supposed hub of illegal-drugs manufacturing and distribution operations in the country. The other was the National Bureau of Investigation.

Did De Lima mobilize all the resources under her control to fight the drugs menace?

There are serious doubts she did. And now, questions are being raised as to whether or not her supposed surprise inspections at the Bilibid Prisons were nothing more than a media show intended to boost her bid for a Senate seat.

President Duterte and Philippine National Police Director-General Ronald dela Rosa appear determined to defeat the illegal-drugs menace. It is the President’s misfortune that Senator De Lima appears set to put up the biggest stumbling block to his bid to curb this problem – politics.

While De Lima prepares to block a vital Duterte initiative, Vice President Leni Robredo is gearing up to help the country’s Chief Executive.

It will be recalled that a few days ago, in front of the media, the President offered Vice President Leni the post of housing czar. Vice President Leni accepted and the country celebrated the triumph of the politics of unity.

Many saw the move as brilliant political move on the part of the President.

We see it as a move intended by the President to get divisive politics out of the way so he can focus on delivering what he promised the country during the last campaign period.

Now that the Vice President has an important job to do as part of the President’s official family, she will have no time to listen to the political has-beens trying to convince her to lead the “opposition.”

Vice President Leni herself has said that her job is to “rally everyone behind the President.” She showed a fine example by forgetting politics and opting instead to help the new administration advance its programs for the poor and the marginalized.

We believe the Vice President would do her best to succeed in her job as housing czar.

After all, she has everything to gain if she succeeds and a lot to lose if she fails.

Let us explain.

If the Vice President succeeds, she would cement her place as a major contender for the presidency in 2022.

She would have proven that the President did not make a mistake when he chose her for this plum post. She would also find herself in a very good position to deliver on her own promises during the campaign.

For the President, just naming the Vice President to the post was already a winner. He has silenced hecklers who questioned his commitment to political unity.

He has also proven that he has the ability to risk reposing his trust on an erstwhile political opponent for the sake of the country.

By naming her housing czar, the President has also given his Vice President a concrete vehicle with which to rally everyone behind him, just as she promised.

We presume many will heed the Vice President’s call to rally behind the President.

We presume, too, that De Lima would not be among them.