Imee Marcos takes drug test

Senator Imee Marcos and her staff underwent drug testing following reports of alleged marijuana use by a Senate employee inside the premises of the upper chamber.

According to her office, all of Marcos’ 38 staff, including her security personnel, were instructed to take a 5-panel drug test for cocaine, shabu, ecstasy, marijuana, and opium.

“Natapos na lahat ng staff ko. Inobliga ko sila at wala namang pumalag. Eh nakakahiya naman, dapat ako nauna eh kaya nga nandito na ‘ko,” the senator said in a video posted on her Facebook page on Wednesday.

(All of my staff have finished drug testing. I obliged them to do so and no one refused. It's a shame, I should have been the first to take it, but I'm here now.) 

Aside from Marcos, Senators Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri and Raffy Tulfo, as well as their staff, have also undergone drug testing. Senator Loren Legarda also mandated the same for her staff in a bid to ensure a drug-free office. 

The test of Tulfo and his staff all yielded negative results, while the results of others have yet to be released. 

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, meanwhile, said that he is also willing to undergo a drug test and may ask his staff to voluntarily do the same.

Some senators decided to do so after reports circulated that a Senate staff member from the office of Senator Robin Padilla allegedly smoked marijuana in the building. 

Actress Nadia Montenegro was named in an incident report, but she denied the allegation and eventually resigned as Padilla’s political affairs officer. 

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero also previously said that the Senate plans to conduct a mandatory random drug test for all officials and employees this 20th Congress. —VAL, GMA Integrated News