After drug test dare Duterte, Nograles undergo hair follicle check

Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte (L) and PBA party-list Rep. Margarita “Migs” Nograles | PHOTOS: Official Facebook pages of Paolo Duterte and Migs Nograles

MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte and PBA party-list Rep. Margarita “Migs” Nograles responded to each other’s dare by subjecting themselves to hair follicle drug tests, although these were conducted separately.

In a video sent by Duterte’s office on Wednesday, the lawmaker was seen submitting himself to a drug test in a Mandaluyong laboratory — a day after Nograles noted that Duterte’s drug test shown on Tuesday was already outdated.

Duterte and Nograles are both vying for the congressional seat of Davao’s 1st District, which Duterte currently holds.

Asked why he did not respond to Nograles’ dare that the two of them have their hair follicle test done in a Davao City laboratory, Duterte said he is currently in Metro Manila and would not prefer flying back to Davao just because of the lady lawmaker.

“Eh nasa Manila ako eh, alangan namang uuwi ako ng Davao para sa kanya. Pasama na lang siya sa boylet niya (I’m in Manila right now, it’s impractical to go home to Davao just because of her.  She should just ask her boyfriend to accompany her),” Duterte said.

“Para sa mga tiga unang distrito ng Davao, para makita nila ’yong mga candidates nila na ’di gumagamit ng droga, at papaalam ko lang din sa mga botante na mga tiga Davao, na ’wag lang ’yong drug test ang tignan niyo, ]yong accomplishments ng kandidato, ]yong capacity to serve the people of Davao,” he added.

(This is for the people of Davao’s first district to see that their candidates do not use drugs.  But I also want to inform Davao voters that they should not look at drug tests alone; they should check a candidate’s accomplishments and their capacity to serve the people of Davao.)

Nograles meanwhile reminded the public that a hair follicle test only covers three months prior to the test, which means illegal substances consumed before that period may not be detected.

“Gusto ko lang sabihin guys, na ang hair follicle drug test, ’yong nade-detect niya na illegal substances, three months lang ang period. So para maging consistent, para malaman natin na wala talaga sa sistema natin ’yong mga illegal substances, you really have to do it every three months,” she said.

(I want to say, guys, that the hair follicle drug test can detect illegal substances only for up to a three-month period.  So for it to be consistent, so that we can know that there are no illegal substances in our system, you really have to do it every three months.)

The drug testing rush between Duterte and Nograles came after Duterte’s sister, Vice President Sara Duterte, dared all aspiring candidates in the 2025 elections to submit themselves.

Rep. Duterte said on Tuesday that he has already taken a test, but Nograles said this was done last August, which may no longer be valid.

“I dare my opponent for the position of representative of Davao City’s First District, who is said to be a member of the so-called ‘young goons’ in Congress — or is it ‘guns’ — to also undergo a hair follicle test,” Rep. Duterte said in a statement on Tuesday.

Because of this, Nograles dared Rep. Duterte to do another drug test on Wednesday.

“I appreciate that you have posted your drug test result but this is an old test done last August,” Nograles said in a statement addressed to Duterte.

“For the sake of transparency and accountability to the people of Davao City, I’d like to invite you to join me for a new drug test tomorrow (October 23) at 1:30 PM at Hi Precision Laboratory in Bajada, Davao City. Let’s do it at the same time and together show the people of Davao City that we are not afraid to prove ourselves and show up. Hope to see you there,” she added.

The Nograleses and the Dutertes have been bitter rivals in the Davao local political scene. While the Dutertes have maintained their grip in the local elective positions, Rep. Nograles’ relatives dominated the congressional seats—her father is the late former Speaker Prospero Nograles, and her brother is former Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles.

However, in 2016, the two families were seen setting politics aside, with the former speaker Nograles saying that he would support the Duterte patriarch, former Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who ran for the presidency and won.

Karlo meanwhile was also a key fixture in the Duterte cabinet, having served as cabinet secretary, presidential spokesperson, chairperson of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases which tackled the COVID-19 response, and eventually, as Civil Service Commission head.

Karlo was also one of the first to rally support behind former president Duterte in 2015, when the Davao mayor was undecided about running for the country’s highest position.

But for 2025, aside from Rep. Duterte and Rep. Nograles clashing, former president Duterte and Karlo would be facing off for Davao City’s mayoral race.