LAWMAKERS urged Davao City First District Paolo “Pulong” Duterte to appear before Congress and defend his proposed bill requiring government officials to undergo mandatory random drug testing through a hair follicle drug test.
In a statement, Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Partylist Rep. Margarita “Atty. Migs” Nograles said that while Duterte has the right to file the bill, he should personally defend it in committee and plenary sessions rather than delegating it to another congressman.
“If you are the author of a bill, you really have to show up, defend it, and explain why you want it to pass — first to the committee members, and then in plenary for the majority of the House members to support it,” House Deputy Majority Leader Nograles stated on Tuesday.
“So, kailangan talagang pumasok, pumunta doon, at idepensa ang bill to the best way that a legislator can,” she added.
The son of former President Rodrigo Duterte filed House Bill No. 10744, or “An act mandating elected and appointed officials of public offices, including the President of the Republic of the Philippines, to undergo random drug testing through hair follicle drug test every six months and institutionalizing voluntary random drug testing of candidates for electoral posts within 90 days prior the election day, amending for the purpose Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002”, which was received by the House of Representatives on Monday, August 12, 2024.
“Being at the forefront of public service with the mandate towards integrity and modesty, it is imperative that public officials and government employees should be the very first to uphold such Constitutional mandate by submitting themselves towards accountability measures that serve as a tool in addressing the fulfillment of this mandate,” he said.
The filing of the bill comes amid the recent allegations and challenge of the former president to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos to undergo a hair follicle drug test to prove the latter that he is not an “addict.” Although the young Duterte had not yet made any statement on the matter.
Legal challenges
In a press conference, Nograles said the mandatory drug testing bill could face potential legal challenges, as she cited a Supreme Court (SC) ruling that previously declared mandatory drug testing unconstitutional when included as a qualification for candidates.
“There is a Supreme Court case already that deemed mandatory drug testing unconstitutional if it’s included as one of the qualifications for a candidate, as the Constitution itself determines those qualifications,” Nograles said.
She also pointed out that it would be unconstitutional if the proposed measure singles out specific individuals, noting that such a policy should apply uniformly across all levels of government, including local government units (LGUs).
“Sana this applies to all, hindi lang mag-single out (Hopefully, this applies to all, not just to single out certain individuals),” Nograles said.
Davao Oriental Second District Rep. Cheeno Almario said the bill should not be driven by personal motives, adding that previous attempts to pass similar legislation, including those targeting local government officials, have failed due to the SC ruling.
House Bill 10744 specifies that the mandatory random drug testing every six months using hair follicle and urine tests covers elected and appointed officials of public offices, including the President of the Republic of the Philippines.
“To include a specific position might also infer that there might be, as much as I hate to say it, a personal agenda behind the bill,” Almario said.
He called for a thorough examination by all relevant agencies to ensure the bill aligns with constitutional principles and genuinely serves the public interest.
Long time, no see in Congress
Nograles, the daughter of the late House Speaker Prospero “Boy” Nograles, said that she hasn’t seen Duterte in the plenary hall.
“Personally, I haven’t seen him here nor in Davao,” Nograles said, adding with a chuckle that she personally would want to talk to him.
It can be recalled that Duterte alleged that it was Nograles who was behind the “cash for signature” scheme to push for the people’s initiative (PI), aiming to amend the 1987 Philippine Constitution.
Nograles, in a previous interview, stated that there are no issues between her and the Dutertes, emphasizing their friendship.
Previously, the two clans had a long-standing political rivalry in the mayoralty in the city.
However, in the 2016 elections, the late House Speaker personally endorsed the elder Duterte’s candidacy for the president.
Meanwhile, Almario shared that he had seen Duterte once, several months ago, during a plenary session, but couldn’t recall any recent encounters.
“I’d seen him once, and I shook hands with him a few months ago, just once,” Almario said, noting that during the recent State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr., someone else occupied Duterte’s seat. RGL with reports from PNA
