MANILA – Several senators support the proposal that all elected government officials be subjected to mandatory drug testing.
President Rodrigo Duterte should get tested first, said staunch critic Antonio Trillanes IV.
“OK ako diyan, at dapat unahin si Duterte mismo kasi para siyang sabog sa droga kung magsalita at mag-isip,” Trillanes said on Tuesday.
Also “open” to the idea, Sherwin Gatchalian believes the President should be included among those required to take the test.
“Since mahigpit tayo sa antidrug campaign, dapat manguna ang mga namumuno, including elected officials,” Gatchalian said.
“We can take it from the President all the way to the (barangay) kagawads,” he added. “Gawin natin mandatory before assumption of office.”
Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (Surigao del Norte) has proposed that all elected government officials must undergo drug testing.
“Sa aking palagay, sama mo na diyan mga congressmen, mga senador, mga governor, mayor – lahat ng elected officials – sa aking paniwala ay kailangang ipasailalim sa drug test at ipakita o i-announce sa publiko ang resulta ng drug test na ito,” said Barbers, who also supports the planned mandatory drug testing among grade school students.
The mandatory drug testing among elected officials should be performed annually, Gatchalian said.
“Maybe every year dapat mag-undergo ng mandatory drug test. I support that. Maganda makita ng taumbayan na willing ang mga officials magpa-drug test,” said the senator from Valenzuela City.
Another senator supporting the proposal, Joel Villanueva believes a mandatory drug testing is a way to hold public officials accountable.
“A public office is a public trust. Even in penalties we should have stiffer penalties as public officials,” Villanueva said.
The proposal also got the support of Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Sen. Francis Escudero.
“Matagal ko na sinasabi iyan. Remember (Sen.) Gringo (Honasan) and I always have a drug test during campaign period, almost always,” Sotto said.
But the Supreme Court “shot it down,” he said, citing a high court decision setting restrictions on mandatory drug testing.
“I placed in the law a drug test for all candidates for all public offices but it was declared unconstitutional,” he said.
In 2008, the Supreme Court ruled as unconstitutional sections 36(g) and 36(f) of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Section 36(g) requires all candidates for national and local positions to undergo a mandatory drug test while Section 36(f) mandates those facing criminal charges punishable by imprisonment of not less than six years to undertake the same./PN
