Solons open to drug test after Duterte bares ‘narco’ list

Leaders of the House of Representatives said they are open to a surprise drug test among their colleagues following President Rodrigo Duterte’s disclosure of a list of mayors, police and congressmen who were allegedly involved in the drug trade.

During a press briefing on Monday, deputy speaker Ilocos Sur Rep. Eric Singson said he could propose this to Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez to ensure Congress is part of Duterte’s war on drugs.

“I don’t have any objection, if that’s the will of the leadership. Siguro pwedeng i-take up to sa Speaker just to make sure Congress is also cooperative in the fight against drugs,” Singson said.

Singson added that the incumbent and current representatives would not get any help or favors from the House leadership as they were accused by the President himself as “narcopoliticians” involved in the drug trade.

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Duterte named former Guimaras Rep. JC Rahman Nava and former Bolinao mayor, now Pangasinan Rep. Jesus “Boying” Celeste as included in his list of narcopoliticians.

“Tayong kapulungan ng House of Representatives should be clean from any of this kind of problem. So kung siya ay meron talagang ginawa, I think it should come from him kung ano man ‘yung nararapat na gagawin,” Singson said of his colleagues accused of drug links.

(The House of Representatives should be clean from any of this kind of problem. So if he really did something wrong, I think it should come from him whatever should be done.)

Singson said Celeste as incumbent lawmaker may go to Speaker Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez to explain his side amid the allegations.

“I think he knows what to do. He’s a member of the House; siguro pupunta siya kay Speaker and explain his side. And for us, we don’t have to do anything. We don’t know what’s the problem with him,” Singson said.

But majority floor leader Ilocos Norte Rep. Rudy Farinas said Celeste’s alleged drug involvement happened during his stint as mayor and not congressman, and thus Celeste has no need to explain to the House leadership.

“Rep. Celeste is now on his 3rd term as House member, which started in 2010. His name was mentioned as a ‘mayor,’ which obviously was his position before he became a House member,” Farinas said in a text message to reporters.

“The House of Representatives has no jurisdiction over his acts or omissions allegedly committed before he became a representative. Hence, he has nothing to explain to the House of Representatives,” he added.

For his part, deputy speaker Marikina Rep. Romero “Miro” Quimbo said a surprise drug test among their colleagues would also ensure that lawmakers live up to the highest standards of sobriety in the interest of their constituents.

“Dapat i-drug test lahat kung kinakailangan dahil wala naman dapat sigurong drug addict. Kung may durugista dito, ka-hiya-hiya naman siguro ‘yun (Everyone should undergo drug testing if needed because no one should be a drug addict. If there’s a drug user here, that would be an embarrassment)… I think this should be required for all of us here,” Quimbo said in the same press briefing.

“Bago ka ma-bato, ipakita mo muna na malinis ang ating Kongreso. Kung may problema, matulungan na natin, at malaman din ng ating mga kinapapalooban. ‘Gusto mo ba na ang congressman mo, drug addict?'” he added.

(You should prove that our Congress is clean. If there is a problem, we can help solve it, and we can find out who is involved. Would you want a congressman who’s a drug addict?)

Quimbo said though that his colleagues deserve to be deemed innocent until proven guilty, even as they were tagged by the President himself for coddling drug personalities.

“More than anything else, everyone is entitled to their rights under the Constitution, and basic is the presumption of innocence. Sinabi ito ng Pangulo na hindi ito panghuhusga na may kasalanan kung lumabas ang pangalan (The President said that this is not passing judgment on people who are on the list),” Quimbo said.

Deputy speaker Negros Occidental Rep. Mercedes Alvarez also backed her colleagues’ support to propose a drug test in Congress to the Speaker.

“I’m open to being drug tested… Maybe we’ll discuss it with the House leadership if we would propose it to majority of the members of Congress willing to subject themselves to drug test. But I think it’s a personal choice whether they choose or not,” Alvarez said. JE/rga

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