DAVAO CITY—Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte said here he had tested negative for use of seven classes of drugs, including shabu, cocaine, and heroin.
The comprehensive seven-panel drug test was conducted by Omega Laboratories upon the request of Hi-Precision Diagnostic Center where Duterte submitted hair samples for testing on Oct 30.
“I have submitted myself to yet another drug test, this time more comprehensive than the first test administered by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency,” Duterte said.
He said the drug test was in “response to the challenge made by Senator Antonio Trillanes who said I was a drug user.”
“I have accepted his challenge not to dignify him, but to clear my name and the name of my family,” he said.
“His imputations that I was a drug addict were based entirely on a fabricated story by a man whose imagination is as twisted as the senator’s,” he added.
Trillanes has been quoting self-confessed killer Edgar Matobato who said the vice mayor was a known drug addict in Davao City.
The comprehensive drug test results showed the young Duterte tested negative for amphetamine, methampethamines, cocaine/metabolites, opiates, extended opiates, phencyclidine, THC metabolite, and benzodiazepines.
The substances can be detected in hair samples. A person’s history of drug use are best detected using hair screening.
Drug tests using hair samples are known to be more precise as drug substances could be traced from hair even if the drugs were taken several years back.
Duterte’s drug test results were released on Nov. 8.
“The results of the comprehensive drug test is enough vindication for me as I was vilified and slandered as they apparently attempted to destroy my father and the entire Duterte family,” he said.
“The results were also enough confirmation that the claims made by Trillanes and his witness, Edgar Matobato, were all nothing but lies,” he added.