Sara Duterte says she tested negative for illegal drug use

FILE PHOTO: Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio during a public message on September 15, 2021. Screengrab from her Facebook page

MANILA, Philippines — Vice presidential aspirant and incumbent Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has tested negative for illegal substance use.

Duterte-Carpio, eldest daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, said she took the test on Wednesday and tested negative for illegal drugs, including cocaine, ecstasy, and methamphetamine.

“Today, I took a drug test that yielded negative of any illegal substances. This test, I took voluntarily upon the request of my Uniteam partner, Senator Bongbong Marcos, to support the call for transparency as aspiring public officials seeking the trust of our fellow Filipinos,” she said in a statement.

Photo courtesy of LAKAS-CMD and HNP

Duterte-Carpio took the drug test a day after her running mate, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he tested negative for cocaine. The camp of the Marcos scion also submitted his cocaine test results to law enforcement agencies on Tuesday.

However, unlike Marcos, who only got tested for cocaine use, Duterte-Carpio was tested on several illegal drugs such as opium, ecstasy, and meth or “shabu.”

“Uniteam BBM-Sara’s stand against illegal drugs is united and unequivocal. This can be seen from both our negative tests as well as our common stance against the proliferation of illegal drugs and the need for effective measures of prevention, rehabilitation, and enforcement,” she said.

The President’s daughter then called on voters to focus on “substantial qualifications” in choosing the next president and vice president of the country.

“Marami sa ating mga kababayan ang naghihirap. Gamitin natin ang pagkakataong ito upang magkaisa sa pagpili ng pamumunong tapat at sapat sa ating layunin na ang ating bansa ay maging maayos, masagana, at mapayapa,” she said.

(Many of our fellow Filipinos are suffering. Let’s make use of this opportunity to unite in choosing our next leaders who are honest and enough to realize our goals for an orderly, prosperous, and peaceful country.)

Aspirants for the May 2022 polls have taken the initiative to undergo voluntary drug testing after President Duterte recently disclosed that a presidential bet is doing cocaine.

Presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo Lacson and his running mate Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Monday went directly to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to have themselves tested for illegal drugs. Results of their tests were negative for any illegal substance.

Another presidential aspirant Senator Manny Pacquiao released the negative result of a drug test he took in July, just before his fight with Yordenis Ugas in Las Vegas, USA, and in September this year.

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