Senate President Francis Escudero confirmed Monday that mandatory random drug testing will soon resume in the upper chamber.
The statement came in response to a request from Senate Minority Leader Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III, who earlier called for the tests following reports of alleged marijuana use inside the Senate premises.
“I fully join you in this important initiative and wish to inform you that the Senate has every intention to conduct the MRDT (Mandatory Random Drug Test) for all the officials and employees of the Senate Proper and Senate Secretariat this 20th Congress,” Escudero told Sotto.
Escudero explained that the chamber had already signed an agreement with East Avenue Medical Center in March 2025 to facilitate testing, but the initial rollout was delayed because many employees were unavailable due to the national and local elections earlier this year.
He also cited the Senate’s previous efforts on drug testing that began under Sotto’s leadership in 2018. A policy order that year required random drug testing for Senate Proper and Senate Secretariat personnel.
From 2018 to early 2020, more than 2,300 individuals underwent testing under that policy.
According to Escudero, the program faced challenges, including administrative cases filed by some employees who claimed their rights were violated.
The testing was suspended in March 2020 after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and compliance with health protocols. No random drug testing was conducted for the remainder of Sotto’s term and throughout the 19th Congress.
Escudero said new regulations issued after 2018 need to be considered in the updated policy.
“We are currently finalizing the new policy order on MRDT in consultation with the Medical and Dental Bureau, the Senate Legal Counsel, the Human Resources Management Service and the Senate Committee on Mental Wellness,” he said.
The updated policy is expected to include stronger intervention measures to ensure fairness and transparency.
He added that the Senate is waiting for final appointments of new staff so that all personnel are included.
Escudero said a draft of the revised policy will soon be shared with senators, employee unions, and associations for feedback. “Once again, thank you for your initiative and guidance,” he said.
Meanwhile, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri on Monday, along with all 35 members of his staff, voluntarily took a drug test and urged fellow senators to do the same.
He explained that anyone who tests positive will be suspended immediately and required to undergo rehabilitation.
The senator revealed said the minority bloc has already agreed to comply with the testing in response to reports of drug use inside the Senate premises.
Senator Robin Padilla, in response to the issue, filed Senate Bill No. 1200, or the Drug-Free Government Act—a proposed measure that would make annual drug testing mandatory for government officials.
It also encourages candidates to voluntarily take a drug test within 90 days before an election.
“If the people are expected to be free from illegal drugs, it should begin with public servants themselves. Leadership must be beyond reproach and willing to undergo the standards of honesty and accountability,” Padilla said.
The controversy led showbiz personality Nadia Montenegro to resign as Padilla’s political affairs officer on Monday.
Montenegro denied being the staff member named in the incident report, linking marijuana odor to a Senate restroom. She said she resigned for the sake of her mental health and her children’s well-being.
In her resignation letter, Montenegro lamented being subjected to public humiliation without due process.
“If there was indeed said incident, our other staff should have known this as well because I am not the only staff in our office. There was likewise no incident report submitted by this alleged personnel of the OSAA (Office of Sergeant-at-Arms) referring to this encounter in the restroom of our office,” she explained.
Montenegro insisted that her decision to quit should not be seen as an admission of guilt, but as an act of respect for the Senate.
Lawyer Rudolf Philip Jurado, Chief of Staff of Padilla, confirmed that Montenegro’s resignation has been accepted.
