No problem in drug test among youth if parents agree—PDEA exec

In this file photo, PDEA officials presented to the media the confiscated illegal drugs following a buy-bust operation in Mandaluyong City. From left: Director Levi Ortiz, PDEA-SES; Dangerous Drugs Board Chairman Catalino Cuy; PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino; and Irish Calaguas, Chief of Staff PDEA. Photo courtesy of PDEA

An official of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Friday said the agency had been consulting psychologists and currently found no problem conducting surprise drug tests to Grade 4 students.

PDEA Director General Aaron N. Aquino “we are consulting psychologists” to know possible negative effects to children. He, however, said they could not see any problem as long as it is “conducted properly.”

“As long as andun ang magulang at tama ang pagkaka esplika sa bata [As long as the parents are there and the procedure is properly explained to the children],” Aquino said during a press conference.

Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones earlier said PDEA’s proposal will be an “administrative nightmare,” saying the students’ rights will largely be put at stake.

“We don’t have to test everyone because it’s going to be an administrative nightmare.  That’s not important but the human-rights implication is very serious,” she said in an interview with ANC.

“Can you imagine if you have a 10-year-old child and even a high school child and it is on his school records that he has been into drugs, maybe [for] one time in his life? All his life that [record] will be there, no school probably would admit him if he goes to a university or college or job,” Briones pointed out.

She also reiterated the unconstitutionality of this proposal, saying the Dangerous Drugs Act only allows drug tests for students on the high school level.

Briones also criticized the potential costs of pursuing this procedure, which could reportedly cost up to P2.8 billion.

“It could even be more because we have to take into consideration the usual regular expenses: People travelling, teams going to different places, getting samples and all of the administrative costs that are involved which are charged to the regular public,” she said. /jpv

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