Escudero: Process to be more effective, transparent
Mandatory random drug testing will soon resume in the Upper Chamber, Senate President Francis Escudero confirmed Monday.
Escudero made the statement in response to a request from Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III for random drug testing 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 said in a letter to Sotto.
On Monday, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, along with all 35 members of his staff, voluntarily took a drug test and urged fellow senators to do the same.
Zubiri explained that anyone who tests positive will be suspended immediately and required to undergo rehabilitation.
He said the Senate 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 that seeks to 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,” he said.
Escudero said the most recent MRDT was carried out on March 20. Preparations were underway for another round but given the elections in May, testing would resume in the 20th Congress.
“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,” Escudero said.
“We have also tightened the intervention measures, drawing from actual experience and knowledge gained from past implementations, to ensure a more effective and transparent process moving forward,” he added.
Escudero said from 2018 to early 2020, more than 2,300 individuals underwent drug testing.
The policy was suspended in March 2020 after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and in compliance with health protocols.
