THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is not too keen on requiring all candidates for the May 2022 polls to undergo drug testing.
Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said the poll body already tried to impose a similar policy but was stopped by the Supreme Court (SC).
"We’ve done this before. The Supreme Court ruled against it and we stopped," Jimenez said.
In 2004, the Comelec en Banc issued a resolution making it mandatory for all candidates to undergo drug testing.
The poll body had then said no person elected to any public office may assume his/her post until he has undergone mandatory drug testing.
In 2008, the SC declared the Comelec resolution unconstitutional.
The SC had then said that the Comelec has no power to impose qualifications on candidates in addition to what the Constitution provides.
Jimenez's statement comes after senatorial aspirant Raffy Tulfo pushed to make drug testing a requirement for all candidates.
Several presidential aspirants have expressed support to the proposal of Tulfo. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)