Epy Quizon meets with Bato, undergoes drug test
Amid the government’s crackdown on celebrities involved in drugs, Jeffrey “Epy” Quizon, actor and son of late comedian Rodolfo “Dolphy” Quizon, submitted himself to drug testing at the Philippine National Police (PNP)’s Crime Laboratory before noon Friday.
According to a police official who requested anonymity, Quizon was accompanied by fellow actor Cesar Montano at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame to meet with PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa at 11 a.m. Friday.
The ranking official, however, said he does not know their reason for taking the drug test.
“I don’t know their justification for the drug test. Normally we don’t do drug test for civilians except for criminal cases. Some have their excuse to avail of LTOPF (license to own and possess firearms),” the official explained.
He said the crime laboratory will only release the result “to the requesting party to the test.”
But in the video Montano posted on his Facebook account, he said Quizon wants to prove that he is clean after using illegal drugs in the past.
“Tignan po natin si Mr. Epy Quizon voluntarily magpapacheck kung siya po ay negative. Magpapapdrug test po siya (Let’s take a look at Mr. Epy Quizon as he voluntarily submits himself to drug test to know if he tests negative. He would undergo a drug test),” Montano said in the live Facebook video.
Quizon then encouraged other drug users to surrender to the police: “Sumuko na kayo (Surrender now)!”
Montano continued: “Actually, matagal na siyang tumigil but gusto lang niyang linisin ang isipan ng lahat ng tao lalo na sa mga close na kaibigan and kamag-anak na clean na siya matagal na at gusto niyang maging isang mabuting testimony sa lahat that [taking] drugs isn’t good for you lalo na sa mga kabataan.”
(Actually, he has stopped using drugs a long time ago but he wants to clear the minds of the people especially his friends and relatives that he is has been clean for a sometime now and he wants to serve as a good testimony to all that that [taking] drugs isn’t good for you especially to the youth.)
Montano also posted their photo inside the office of Dela Rosa. The actor said the PNP chief himself escorted Quizon to the crime laboratory where he underwent drug testing.
The PNP earlier said it came up with a list containing the names of 54 celebrities, including television hosts and musicians, with alleged involvement in the drug trade.
READ: ‘Bato’: 30 celebrities on drug list submitted to Duterte
Dela Rosa said he has submitted the list to President Rodrigo Duterte. But he said it would be the President’s decision whether he would identify the TV personalities on the list./rga
