6 senators pass drug test

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III and five other senators tested negative for drugs based on results released by the upper chamber yesterday. 

More than 300 employees were also subjected to the surprise random mandatory drug testing last July 30 as part of the Senate’s commitment to a drug-free environment and workplace.

Aside from Sotto, those who underwent drug tests were Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Sens. Gregorio Honasan, Loren Legarda, Paolo Benigno Aquino IV and Antonio Trillanes IV.

Sotto clarified the conduct of drug tests was not part of a witch hunt but an awareness program like what was done in the Senate.

He said enforcement, prosecution, prevention and rehabilitation are the four major concerns in the battle against illegal drugs and the absence of any of these four “will definitely make you unsuccessful in any fight against drugs.”

“Part of prevention is drug testing,” Sotto said.

Zubiri said he felt “very strongly on the implementation of the law, especially on drug testing” as principal author of the Dangerous Drugs Act when he was still a congressman.

“Government should take the lead and implement this policy (of drug testing) with all its employees… especially those handling sensitive positions dealing with security issues, elected officials and high appointed posts,” Zubiri noted.

Zubiri, Honasan and Aquino said the country’s political leaders should set an example by showing that the government means business in the fight against drugs.

“We cannot give what we do not have… the Senate leadership has, is and will continue to lead by example,” Honasan said.

Aquino said the country’s leaders should be role models for their children and candidates who wish to become government leaders should also undergo drug testing.

Legarda, for her part, said: “We all know that illegal drugs only do harm for our people and our nation… by undergoing this voluntary drug testing, I show my support for the campaign against the use of illegal drugs.” 

Trillanes, on the other hand, said: “(President) Duterte and his family should also live by example. Thus I am challenging them to do the same.”