PDEA wants surprise drug test for candidates

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) favors conducting surprise drug tests on election candidates.

PDEA director general Aaron Aquino said surprise drug tests should be conducted on politicians running in the elections to prevent them from preparing for the test by not using illegal drugs before the examination to get a negative result.

“If it will be a surprise drug test that they won’t know is actually a drug test, well I think it will serve the purpose,” he added.

Asked how it could be done, Aquino said it could be similar to what they are doing in the agency where his fellow officers are called for a supposed meeting.

“We will have a conference. When they arrive, the conference room will be padlocked, nobody will go out,” he said.

They are then required to submit urine samples which will be examined for traces of illegal drugs.

The Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), meanwhile, is urging aspirants in the 2019 midterm elections to submit to a mandatory drug testing once they become elected as local officials.

DDB chairman Catalino Cuy said their regulations provide for the establishment and institutionalization of drug-free workplace policy in all government offices, including drug test for local officials and other government officers.

He said the initiative is pursuant to President Duterte’s order to strengthen all anti-drug efforts through imposing stricter sanctions for public employees, including elective local officials and appointed officers.

“As civil servants, we must lead by example of living a healthy and drug-free lifestyle. We cannot expect the Filipino people to be drug-free if we ourselves are involved in these substances,” Cuy said in a statement.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo hinted yesterday that President Duterte could announce the release of the DDB list of candidates involved in illegal drug activities. 

In a statement released by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Panelo said the President, pursuant to (his) mandate to serve and protect the people, is taking into consideration all rights and interests involved in order to ensure that the 2019 election is not only credible and peaceful but also one that is truly reflective of the people’s desires and aspirations.

Panelo said the DDB is pushing for the President’s approval to release the list containing the names of politicians or candidates involved in illegal drug activities in order to guide the voters as they elect their respective leaders in the midterm elections next year. – With Ding Cervantes