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DRUG TESTING FOR ALL WHO WANT TO SERVE IN GOV’T

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MikeLigalig.com:
REP. MICHAEL “MIKEE” L. ROMERO, Ph.D.
1-PACMAN Party-list
Assistant Majority Leader
Twitter: @MikeeRomeroPhD

SPORTSMAN, PBA TEAM OWNER REP. MIKEE ROMERO IN FAVOR OF DRUG TESTING FOR ALL WHO WANT TO SERVE IN GOV’T

The Olympic movement has strict drug testing and anti-doping regulations. Philippine sports, including basketball, also has policies and regulations against the use of illegal drugs, including performance-enhancing and mind-altering drugs.

Like our drugs-free athletes, our elected politicians, candidates for elective positions, and civil servants must also be exemplars against illegal drugs and drugs-free.

Mandatory drug testing for all local government elective positions requires amendment of the Local Government Code. Mandatory drug testing for all civil servants, including regular employees, contractuals, and casuals requires amendment of different laws, including the Civil Service law (RA 807). For these positions, a bill passed by Congress or an Initiative Petition approved in a plebiscite would be enough to require drug testing.

However, mandatory drug testing for President, Vice President, Senators, Members of the House of Representatives, the Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, and the Constitutional Commissions requires amendment of the Constitution.

There is also the matter of what kind of drug testing is needed to achieve the purpose of weeding out drug dependents in public service.

It is very easy to circumvent drug testing of urine samples. Difficult to cheat is drug testing using hair follicle samples.

I am therefore readying a bill requiring hair follicle-based testing for illegal drugs and other mind-altering chemicals to weed out drug dependents candidates for local government elective positions, as well as employees and applicants for regular, contractual, and casual positions in government.

I will also recommend to the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments that hair follicle drug testing be required for all elective and appointive positions mentioned in the Constitution.

Cost of drug testing for employees and applicants for government service shall be borne by the government agencies concerned.

Cost of drug testing for candidates and aspirants for elective local and national positions and for constitutional positions must be borne by the candidates and aspirants themselves. (END)

References: Drug Testing Guide https://goo.gl/fjGgSh ABS-CBN https://goo.gl/xZAeVo

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