PDEA chief on mandatory drug test in schools: We’re saving, not harassing, kids

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron Aquino on Friday addressed the criticism thrown at the agency for pushing for a mandatory drug test for students in all levels in both public and private schools nationwide.

"Hindi namin ginagawa ito to harass children. We do not do this to harass parents. We are trying to do this because we want to save children... na prevention is better than cure,” Aquino said during an event in Quezon City.

This was after receiving flak from lawmakers and human rights groups who deemed the drug test as unnecessary and a threat to the lives of innocent children.

The proposal was also flagged by the Department of Education (DepEd), who pointed out that the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 only authorizes random drug testing among students in the secondary and tertiary levels.

For Aquino, random drug tests among students are "not effective" in combing out drug users and pushers.

"Hindi nagiging effective, kasi paano ba ang sistema ng random? Bunutan o sinu-suspect mo kaya siya dina-drug test? Eh pag ganung bunutan, hindi ho tatamaan yung suspected mo," the PDEA chief said.

"Kunwari may nakikita kang isang college student na talamak talaga na parang gumagamit, kitang-kita sa kilos niya at itsura niya, pero hindi siya nabunot," he added.

The PDEA chief was also asked to weigh in on the expense of that such a proposal would entail, to which he admitted: "We don’t have a budget for that in PDEA."

"[Pero] walang kwenta yung gagstusin eh. Isipin natin we are saving lives of children," he added.

The proposal came after the PDEA caught a 10-year-old Grade 4 pupil allegedly using drugs, while three teachers were nabbed in Mindanao for drug-related offenses. — MDM, GMA News