Paolo Duterte urged to defend random drug test bill for gov’t officials in House

Some members of the House of Representatives urged Davao 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte to appear before Congress and defend his proposed bill that requires government officials to undergo mandatory random drug testing.

Duterte’s proposed bill mandates government officials, including the President, to undergo random drug tests through hair follicle drug tests every six months.

"If you are the author of a bill, you really have to show up, defend it, and explain why you want it to pass—first to the committee members, and then in plenary for the majority of the House members to support it,” House Deputy Majority Leader Rep. Margarita Nograles said Tuesday in a statement.

“So, kailangan talagang pumasok, pumunta doon, at idepensa ang bill to the best way that a legislator can,” she added.

(So, he really needs to be present in Congress to defend the bill in the best way that a legislator can.)

Assistant Majority Leader Rep. Amparo Maria Zamora shared the same sentiment, saying she has yet to see Duterte attend committee hearings and plenary sessions on a regular basis.

“Mas excited po kami na makasama siya sa committee hearings. Siguro hindi ko lang siya nakakasabay sa mga hearing,” Zamora said.

(I am excited to see him attend committee hearings. Or maybe we are just unable to be in the same hearings.)

1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez said he is excited to see Duterte defend his proposed measure.

Nongrales said she has not seen Duterte in Congress nor in Davao.

“I’d seen him once, and I shook hands with him a few months ago, just once,” Davao Oriental 2nd District Rep. Cheeno Almari said.

GMA News Online has reached out to Duterte for comment but he has yet to reply as of this writing.
—Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News