Davao congress bets heed VP call for drug testing

DAVAO City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte and Pwersa ng Bayaning Atleta Rep. Margarita Ignacia Nograles have undergone hair follicle drug tests in separate testing centers in response to the challenge made by Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday. Duterte took his drug test at a laboratory in Mandaluyong City, while Nograles went to a branch of the same laboratory in Bajada, Davao City, both of which were surrounded by members of the media. In an interview with reporters after his sample was collected, Duterte said that it was his third time to take a drug test in the same laboratory. "I also did a drug test here the day after I filed my bill because the Young Guns may demand it," Duterte said in Filipino. The bill that he was referring to was his proposal to subject all elected officials to random drug tests, a bill which was met with skepticism by the so-called "Young Guns" of the House of Representatives. Duterte said that it is not wrong to take a drug test if they are not hiding anything from their constituents and urged his fellow lawmakers to do the same. "They should take the drug test; it's impossible for them that they do not have the money to do that," Duterte said. Meanwhile, Nograles said she believes getting a drug test is for transparency and accountability. "It is not really for anything else, but if this is what people want to see, then we must be accountable and transparent," Nograles said. She said that she was expecting Duterte to join her but was relieved when she heard that Duterte also took his drug test at the same time. Several members of the Young Guns expressed their willingness to accept the challenge of the vice president, but they demanded she testify before the House Good Government Committee. "We are more than willing to take the drug test and psychiatric exam, as the vice president suggested, but we will not allow her to divert the real issue, which is the allegations of fund misuse and graft and corruption against her. We believe that transparency should go both ways. If she wants to challenge us, she should be ready to face the House Blue Ribbon Committee and testify under oath," Zambales Rep. Jefferson Khonghun said. "We're ready for these tests. Let's schedule it within the next few days. But more than that, we challenge the vice president to step forward and answer the people's questions about her office's budget use. The real test of leadership is accountability, and we hope she's ready for that," Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said.