Sotto says he and Lacson are willing to undergo drug tests

Sotto says he and Lacson are willing to undergo drug tests

Vice presidential aspirant and Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Saturday said that he and his running mate, Senator Panfilo Lacson, are ready to undergo drug tests.

In a radio interview, Sotto said he and Lacson are ready to undergo drug tests between now and two weeks before the general elections on May 9, 2022.

“Kung may humiling sa amin na magpadrug test ngayon gagawin namin, tapos two weeks before election gagawin din namin drug test ulit,” he said.

(If someone asks us to take the drug test now, we will comply and then do it again two weeks before the election.)

Sotto made the statement after President Rodrigo Duterte claimed on Thursday that a presidential aspirant was using cocaine.

“Pagdating sa isyu ng droga, kung ang kandidato ay napapagbintangan gumagamit ng illegal drugs ibig sabihin nun gumagawa ng illegal. Gusto mo bang maging government official ang lumalabag sa batas?” Sotto said.

(On the issue of illegal drugs, if the candidate is accused of using illegal drugs, that means he or she is doing something illegal. Do you want a person who violates the law to become a government official?)

“Kung ang bintang sa kandidato ay gumagamit ng droga eh di magpadrug test ka para mawala yung bintang sayo. Kami ngang hindi napagbibintangan..nagpapadrug test kami,” he added.

(If you are a candidate who is being accused of using illegal drugs, take a drug test to dispel the allegations. We have not been accused of drug use, yet we take drug tests.)

Other presidential bets, Senators Christopher "Bong" Go and Manny Pacquiao, said they were also willing to undergo drug tests following Duterte's remark.

Vice President Leni Robredo said she favors surprise drug tests for candidates, while labor leader Leody De Guzman said that aspirant should be caught and undergo rehabilitation.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno said a presidential aspirant who uses illegal drugs may end up being a drug lord.

Meanwhile, former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s camp claimed that he was not the one being referred to as a cocaine user.

In a speech Thursday night, Duterte warned voters about a presidential aspirant who is doing drugs. He didn't name the aspirant. 

The Commission on Elections on Friday said substance abuse is not a ground for an election candidate's disqualification. 

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