Execs ok with drug test for political bets, but…

Cebu City Elections Officer Marchel Sarno has advised the City Office on Substance Abuse Prevention t o make r ecommendations t o any House member to push for an additional requirement for political candidates — take a drug test.

Reacting to COSAP’s challenge to political aspirants, Sarno said Comelec can only act on what the l aw r equires, t hus t he need f or legislation to support such “noble” initiative.

“Any public or private entity or office like COSAP is allowed to ask our congressmen here to sponsor a bill r equiring t he additional qualification. If we add another requirement then that would need another l egislation f r om t he Congress,” he said.

Earlier, COSAP supported the i dea of administering t he drug t esting program t o aspiring politicians for the May 2016 polls.

Sarno said Comelec refrains from t aking any stand on t he matter, insisting that the poll body only enforces what has been legislated by the Congress.

“We don’t encourage them and it is not also that we discourage them ( t o under drug t est.) We only implement what is required based on the existing laws,” he said further.

PRO- 7

Meanwhile, Police Regional Office- 7 director Manuel Gaerlan agrees with t he challenge f or political candidates, but said the drug test should be conducted in random to really see who among those wanting to be law enforcers also violate the law.

“This is just a personal opinion. Pwede kasi na kung candidate ako, magsa- submit ako sa drug test kung clean ako,” said Gaerlan, knowing that illegal drugs stay in the human body for a few days only.

He said it would be better if all political candidates would sign a waiver stating that they are willing to undergo drug tests anytime.

“Sa akin, mas clear siguro ‘ yun so that if doubtful tayo sa isang kandidato, then diretso na,” he said.

DAVIDE For his part, Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III welcomed COSAP’s challenge.

He posed that drug test should have been made as requirement for all candidates to help ensuring a drug- free public office.

He though noted that the drug test was not among the requirements laid down in the Philippine Constitution, being the supreme law of the land to which all laws must conform.

"But para nako, it should have been a requirement also. Mo- require gani ta sa drivers nga mo- undergo og drug test," he said.

To recall, the Supreme Court already struck down mandatory drug testing of all candidates, both in the national and local government, for being unconstitutional.

In Pimentel vs Comelec case, the High Tribunal ruled that the requirement provided for under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 was illegally imposed as an additional qualification on candidates for senator.

It said the mandatory drug test provision enlarged what the Constitution only requires which are citizenship, voter registration, literacy, age and residency.

Davide, however, said he and his party candidates are very much willing to undergo a drug test.

"All the time. Karon dayon?" Vice Governor Agnes Magpale said in jest, on the other hand, when asked to comment on COSAP's challenge.

She said the province even offered the mayors, as well as willing candidates, to shoulder expenses for drug test through the Cebu Provincial Anti- Drug Abuse Commission (CPADAC).

CPADAC has been conducting series of random drug test of Capitol and local government employees as part of their anti- drug crusade. Davide sits as the chairperson of the CPADAC.

Last year, some 16 Capitol employees lost work after being found to be drug users.