Eleazar welcomed the declaration of presidential and vice-presidential candidates to undergo drug test.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief PGen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar welcomed the declaration of presidential and vice-presidential candidates to undergo a drug test.
The declaration of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the 2022 elections of their willingness to undergo drug tests was a music to the ears of top officials of the Philippine National Police.
For Eleazar, such declaration was a reflection of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates’ commitment for drug-free governance.
“We in the Philippine National Police welcome the declaration of our presidential candidates to undergo drug test and see it as a commitment on the need to continuously address the illegal drug problem in the country,” Eleazar said.
Eleazar also said that as applicants for government positions, candidates for the 2022 elections should indeed be at the forefront of showing to the public that they’re clean and that they will continue addressing the problem.
Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Panfilo Lacson have already expressed their intention to support the move to require both national and local candidates to undergo drug test.
The same expression of support was also aired by Senator Manny Pacquiao, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, and former senator Bongbong Marcos.
READ ALSO: COMELEC Bucks Proposed Drug Test For All Candidates In 2022 Elections
According to Eleazar, the willingness of the candidates to undergo drug test was like the vaccination program where a lot of people were convinced to be vaccinated after seeing top government leaders getting the vaccine regardless of the brand.
Five vice-presidential candidates also expressed willingness to support the move – Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Buhay partylist Representative Lito Atienza, and Doc Willie Ong.
Sotto was also quoted as saying that he included the drug test in the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (Republic Act 9165) but was shot down by the Supreme Court over constitutionality issues.
On the part of the Philippine National Police, Eleazar said that they will support whatever the strategies that would be implemented by the country’s next leaders on the campaign against illegal drugs because the said campaign “resulted in a significant reduction of crime in the country” despite the criticisms.
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