Vice President Sara Duterte
MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte is ready to be the first to administer a hair follicle drug test, answering some calls for such a measure.
Duterte’s statement followed a challenge from former presidential spokesman Harry Roque.
Roque had urged the vice president and her brothers, Davao Rep. Paolo Duterte and Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte, to “set a good example” and submit to the drug test.
“Yes,” she said in a casual interview in Davao City on Thursday when asked if she was ready to accept Roque’s challenge.
Duterte, however, stressed that a “third party” must be involved in the tests to ensure the validity of the results.
“Nababasa ko na ‘yung panawagan ng mga tao. “It is important that the results are not verified, but also a third party must do testing and be sure that a laboratory ensures that the results are validated,” Duterte said.
(I have already read the appeal from the population. We will only decide on the final date, because perhaps a third party should be involved in the testing and not just a laboratory, so that we can ensure that the result is valid.)
“So a lot of details, I’m glad you all planted plants. Gawin Natin ‘Yung drug test,” she further added.
(So that’s the detail I want all callers to clarify. Let’s do the drug test.)
In the same interview, Duterte also expressed his support for a bill proposed by Davao Rep. Duterte that would require drug testing of all government officials every six months.
READ: Paolo Duterte calls for regular drug testing for all government officials
“Of course, NASA doesn’t have to bother officials, which they don’t mind,” she said.
(First, of course, we need to make sure our officials, myself included, have the right attitude.)
READ: Bongbong Marcos tested ‘negative’ for cocaine in 2021 – drug analyst
The hair follicle drug test is exactly the same method that critics, including Roque, had urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to use because of several allegations of illegal drug use.
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But Marcos has repeatedly denied the allegations.
