President Rodrigo Duterte appears to be washing his hands of his failed brutal war on drugs, and is tossing the narcotics problem for Vice President Leni Robredo to solve.

Robredo has been consistently critical of Duterte’s flawed approach to the drug menace which has resulted to mounting extrajudicial killings of mostly impoverished “suspects”.

Without the corresponding real power and constitutional mandate, Robredo cannot take up the President’s challenge or ruse.

She is not the President’s alter ego but his well-meaning critic who has no authority.

Stronghanded and violence-driven police and military campaigns against drug pushers and users had failed in the United States, Mexico, Colombia and Thailand because the drug problem is more a poverty issue and a health concern rather than a police matter.

EDCEL C. LAGMAN