Negros execs willing to undergo drug test
Thursday, July 29, 2010
More Sections
LOCAL officials in Negros Oriental expressed willingness to undergo drug test following the statement of a senator saying public officials should set a good example to the public.
Vice Governor Roel Degamo told Sun.Star that he agreed the statement of Senate Majority Floor Leader Vicente "Tito" Sotto III.
Updates on President Benigno Aquino III's presidency
Sotto, principal author of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Drugs Act of 2002, voluntarily underwent an illegal drugs testing at the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) recently.
Sotto's move came following the arrest of Ilocos Sur Representative Ronald Singson in Hong Kong on July 11 for the alleged possession illegal drugs.
Singson was arrested at the Chek Lap Kok International Airport in Hong Kong where he was found with 26.1 grams of cocaine and two tablets of diazepam also known as Valium.
Due to this incident, Sotto also encouraged other public officials to undergo illegal drugs testing.
With this, Degamo is planning to undergo drug test anytime next week.
Moreover, he also welcomed the proposal that all government officials and employees will undergo drug test provided that it will be voluntary, not compulsory nor mandatory in nature.
In a separate interview, Provincial Board member Rotelio Lumjod told Sun.Star that he welcomes voluntary drug-testing.
Lumjod, a lawyer by profession, explained that the Supreme Court had earlier deemed unconstitutional on mandatory drugs testing for candidates running for public office.
He believed that voluntary drug test is vital in assuring constituents that their elected officials are drug-free and to remove suspicion generated by the arrest of a member of Congress for alleged drug trafficking in Hong Kong.
Lumjod, chairman of the Committee of Human Rights and Peace and Order of the Provincial Board, said a drug-free community and respect of everybody's rights will lessen crime incidents.
Voluntary drug test is to respect human rights, he said. (Victor L. Camion)
