Malacanang on Monday scoffed at Vice President Leni Robredo’s decision to suspend the release of her report on the war on drugs in deference to the victims of the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Mindanao.

• VP Robredo postpones release of drug war report after powerful quake

"What's taking her so long?" Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo asked during Monday’s briefing in Malacanang.

"Mahirap kasi 'pag wala ka naman talagang ilalabas at nag-iisip ka pa kung ano'ng ilalabas mo. Eh, talagang matagal."

Panelo slammed Robredo for being inconsistent on her statement about whether her report contains explosive "revelations" on the administration’s conduct of the anti-illegal drugs campaign, or just mere recommendations.

He added that the Vice President should have released her report long ago.

"Noon pa. Hindi ba sinabi niya may mga natuklasan siya. Bakit hindi niya inilabas? Kaya nga hinamon siya ni Presidente, 'di ba? 'Bring it on!' Wala naman," the President's spokesman said.

The Vice-President on Monday postponed the release of a 40-page report on the war on drugs, which will include her recommendations on how to further improve the campaign against narcotics.

• Gov’t drug war data scrutinized in upcoming Robredo report

"Dahil sa nangyari na malakas na paglindol sa Davao del Sur saka sa mga katabing probinsya gaya ng South Cotabato, minabuti namin na ipagpaliban muna. Ito namang report na ito, puwede nating gawin anytime kung wala nang ganitong pinagkakaabalahan tayong lahat," she said.

She said she is scaling back on Christmas celebrations as she wants to spend the money to help victims of the quake.

"Nag-order na ako dito sa amin na iyong lahat na Christmas celebrations i-scale down, gawin lang na napakasimple, para— Mas kailangan ng ating mga kababayan doon iyong tulong, at nananawagan tayo sa lahat," Robredo said.
Robredo initially delayed the release of her report to allow the government to focus on its hosting of the South East Asian Games.