Drug, psychological tests for bets sought

by BEN R. ROSARIO (Manila Bulletin)

http://mb.com.ph/articles/246035/drug-psychological-tests-bets-sought

Candidates for local and national posts in the 2010 Wednesday sought an amendment of the Constitution to make passing mandatory drug and psychological tests a requirement for those seeking elective posts.

Binalonan Mayor Ramon Guico, a member of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD senatorial slate, Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista of the Liberal Party and members of the Performance Team in Quezon City said they are willing to cross partylines to push for the revival of the law that would disqualify candidates found using or having used illegal substances.

On the other hand, lawyer Raul Lambino, another administration senatorial bet, said the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency should make public the list of candidates involved in illegal drug trafficking in the country.

Concern about narco-politics was raised by the candidates following a report from the US State Department that there is a possibility that the outcome of the May 10 elections will be influenced by drug money.
A medical doctor, Guico said the report should not be ignored, adding that narco-politics will indeed be a strong influence in Philippine elections unless addressed immediately by government.

“I believe there is a need to revisit the constitutional provision about a candidates qualification and include passing mandatory drug tests a requirement,” said Guico.

Bautista, chairman of the QC anti-drug abuse council, lamented that the law on mandatory drug tests has been struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

“There is no doubt the High Court was correct in ruling that making candidates undergo narcotics examination is a violation of the Constitution. But we don’t just sit and allow drug dependents to be elected, we have to pursue measures to correct this,” Bautista told a group of barangay officials in a forum Wednesday.

The QC vice mayor said this can be done by amending the 1987 Constitution and empower the Commission on Elections to disqualify candidates found positive for drug use.

In a statement, the Performance Team in QC’s third district said that since it is batting for a strong anti-drug advocacy, its members and supporters are backing the revival of mandatory drug testing by revising the Charter.

Don De Leon, a candidate for councilor, dared May 10 candidates to volunteer to undergo drug tests.

“If they are found to be positive, the subject candidate should volunteer to withdraw his certificate of candidacy and undergo drug rehabilitation,” said De Leon.

Under the Comprehensive Drugs Act of 2002, candidates for any local and national posts must first undergo drug testing before being accepted by the Comelec.

The SC explained that such provision of the law is "unconstitutional in that they impose a qualification for candidates for senators in addition to those already provided for in the 1987 Constitution."

Meanwhile, Lambino said the PDEA surely has a list of politicians, inactive or those seeking elective posts in the May 10, 2010 elections, who have amassed great wealth by engaging in the illegal drugs trade in the past or are still doing so at present.

“The government’s lead agency in the anti-drugs campaign has a moral and social responsibility to disclose the names of “narco-politicians” as part of its goal in licking the illegal drug menace in the country,” he said.

Lambino issued the statement in the wake of a US State Department report that came out last Tuesday revealing that drug money could affect the outcome of the 2010 presidential elections. (with a report by Aris R. Ilagan)