Following president Rodrigo Duterte’s hasty comments on a certain candidate running for president being a cocaine-user, vice president and presidential aspirant Leni Robredo says that there is a proper way to handle the accusation: through an official legal case.
She says, “Ako, number one, siguradong hindi ako yun. Number two, ayokong pumatol, ayokong dagdagan. Yung sa akin lang kung may ebidensya kailangang ilabas. Kung mayroong ebidensya, kailangan kasuhan kasi ito yung nakasaad sa ating batas. Hindi dapat ito dinadaan sa ganitong paraan.” (First of all, I am surely not the accused. Second, I don’t want to add fuel to the fire. If there’s evidence, then a legal case needs to be filed because this is our law. It shouldn’t be dealt with in this way.)
Robredo also urged that the 2022 candidates undergo a surprise drug test. “Papano kasi natin malalabanan ang droga kung wala tayong moral authority paano lalabanan ito, ang kailangan yung tao magtiwala sa amin.” (How will we stand against drugs if we don’t have the moral authority to refuse it? We need the people to trust in us.) She says.
Cabinet secretary Carlo Nograles responded to proposals that poll bets take a drug test, saying that drug testing is not a requirement for an individual to run.
“There have been attempts to also include that as one of the requirements for candidates… There was always an attempt but there was always a question na hindi siya kasama sa (not included in the) requirements, so it’s purely voluntary.” Nograles said during his virtual press conference on Friday, Nov. 19. According to Nograles, candidates may do this based on his or her discretion.
“It’s really up to the candidates to show that they have taken the test and cleared the drug test.” He explained.
(By: Bianca Floirendo)