Drilon: No to drug test for candidates for top posts

While calling for full disclosure of the medical records of all presidential candidates, Senate President Franklin Drilon thumbed down Senator Grace Poe’s challenge for presidential and vice presidential candidates in the May elections to undergo a drug test.

“I am in favor of full disclosure of the medical records… I’m not in favor of that (drug test) just for the presidential and vice presidential (candidates),” Drilon, vice chair of the Liberal Party, said during the “Pandesal Media Forum” in Quezon City on Monday when sought for comment on Poe’s challenge.

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“Come on, you are a candidate for the highest office of this land. Drug test is, I’d like to think having presented yourself, you are not indulging in this vice so I don’t see the need for a drug test,” he said.

“But it’s up to them if they want to do a drug test but I don’t see the need for a drug test. But what I see the need for is for them to reveal the complete medical records,” Drilon added.

The Senate leader reiterated his call for all presidential candidates to make their medical records public.

“Kasi we’re looking at a leader for the next six years. The leader must be in good health…” he said. “I think the public is entitled to know what’s the condition of each presidential candidate because they will lead this country in the next six years.”

But Poe, who earlier expressed her readiness to release her medical records, said all candidates should also voluntarily submit themselves to a drug test, saying that the fight against illegal drugs should be one of the priorities of those running for office.

“Ang mas dapat nating tutukan sa mga kandidato ay magboluntaryong magbigay ng drug test sapagkat ‘yan ang illegal. ‘Yan ang hindi nararapat sa ating batas,” she said.

“At ang drug-test na isusumite, dapat ay officially…dapat ‘yan ay mayroon talagang isang lugar kung saan doon lahat pupunta para hindi yung kanya-kanyang submission lang. At hindi puwedeng urine sample lang. Kailangan blood at kailangan hair sapagkat makikita mo not just the past weeks results kundi years.”

“‘Yun ang para sa akin na dapat talagang tutukan kasi ‘yun ang nagiging salot sa ating bansa,” Poe further said.