Angry at criticism, Philippines' Duterte dares vice president to take over law enforcement

MANILA, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte
on Monday lashed out at Vice President Leni Robredo for
criticising his war on drugs, and offered to put her in charge
of law enforcement.
The president has a frosty relationship with opposition
leader Robredo, who was elected separately from Duterte, whose
drugs crackdown has killed thousands, stirring global alarm,
although polls show strong domestic support for the campaign.
"I will surrender my powers to enforce the law," Duterte
said in remarks to newly-appointed government officials. "I will
give it to the vice president for six months. I'll let her carry
it out, let us see what will happen. I will not interfere."
It was not immediately clear if Duterte's offer was meant
sarcastically, although he said he would send a letter to
Robredo, a former human rights lawyer.
A spokesman for Duterte did not immediately respond to a
request from Reuters asking about the legal basis for such a
transfer of authority.
The comments follow Robredo's statements in an interview
with Reuters, saying that too many people had been killed in the
crackdown, which had not solved the drugs problem.
The comments have outraged Duterte, his aides and
supporters. Robredo also urged access for the United Nations to
investigate accusations of rights abuses over the crackdown,
which Duterte's administration has rejected as lies.
Later, Duterte told reporters Robredo could start the job
anytime, perhaps as soon as Monday night.
"If she wants, I can commission her to be the drug czar,"
Duterte said. "I'll give her a clean slate, so she will know how
easy it is to control drugs."
Approached by Reuters for comment, Robredo's office said the
vice president had no statement on the matter yet.
In an interview with news channel ANC on Monday, Robredo
stood by her criticism of Duterte's policies.
"I can't just sit back and look the other way," she said.
"If I see something wrong, I feel it's my obligation to
verbalize what I see, no matter how few we are."
Philippine authorities reject activists' allegations that
drug dealers and users are being executed and say the more than
7,000 people killed by police had all resisted arrest.
Police say they have no connection to the mysterious murders
of thousands more drug users.