Young members of the House of Representatives have challenged their colleague, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, to defend in Congress his recently filed bill proposing mandatory random drug testing for all elected officials, including the President.

In a press conference on Tuesday, four members of the so-called “Young Guns” voiced concerns the bill might be a personal attack on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The suspicion arises from the ongoing verbal clashes between the Dutertes and Marcoses.

Paolo Duterte’s father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, has frequently criticized Marcos, alleging that he is a “drug addict” and “stoned” and suggesting that his name appears on the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency’s drug watch list.

PBA Partylist Rep. Margarita Nograles, who recently clashed with Paolo Duterte over accusations of politicking and the alleged lack of funding for Davao, said that while Duterte has every right to introduce a bill, it should not be used to target a political adversary.

“We respect his knowledge and his intent on this [bill]. I just hope the intent is good. Because we are legislators to file bills for the betterment of the Filipino people and not to piss off or single out or use your position to do things with a personal aspect,” Nograles told reporters.

“I just hope that he can show why he is doing this and it’s not for any vindication of anything. It’s not to single out someone because that would be unconstitutional and hopefully this applies also to local government units because as our friends in the media know, even in Davao City there are about 37 I think that tested positive in [a] drug test, random drug test in a department. So I hope this applies to all,” Nograles said.

Filing on heels of rift

The filing of the bill on Monday came on the heels of the intensifying political rift between the Marcoses and Dutertes.

Under Rep. Duterte’s House Bill 10744, all elected public officials, including the President, will be mandated to undergo random drug testing every six months using their hair follicles and urine for a more accurate result.

“Any official found positive for use of dangerous drugs shall be dealt with administratively, which shall be a ground for suspension or termination from office, subject to certain pertinent laws,” the bill read.

The bill also aims to institutionalize voluntary random drug testing of candidates for electoral posts within 90 days before election day, amending Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

In 2008, the Supreme Court (SC) declared unconstitutional Section 36 of RA 9165 requiring mandatory drug testing for all candidates for public office.

The high court’s ruling stated that a Filipino’s right to elect a public official “should not be defeated by unwarranted impositions of requirements not otherwise specified in the Constitution.”

“Whether or not the drug-free bar set up under the challenged provision is to be hurdled before or after the election is really of no moment, as getting elected would be of little value if one cannot assume office for non-compliance with the drug testing requirement,” the SC ruling read.

Rep. Duterte contended in his bill that the principles did not extend to elected and appointed public officials.

Show up

Nograles, however, said Duterte should show up and defend his proposal before the committee and the plenary and not merely delegate it to another congressman who will proxy for him.

“If you are the author of a bill, you really have to show up, defend it, and explain why you want it to pass. You really need to show up and defend the bill the best way that a legislator can,” Nograles said.

Davao del Norte Rep. Cheeno Almario hoped Duterte had no ulterior motive.

“To include specifically a position might infer that there might be, you know as much as I hate to say it, I hope those bills we file do not have a personal agenda,” Almario said.

Meanwhile, 1-Rider Partylist Rep. Ramon Gutierrez and Taguig City Rep. Amparo Maria Zamora hoped that Duterte will actively participate in the legislative process to push his proposal.