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If you want to see widespread hair follicle drug-testing in government, start with your own backyard.
This, in a nutshell was Zambales 1st district Rep. Jay Khonghun and Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua's advice to Acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte on Sunday, July 27.
Mayor Duterte had demanded that all elected officials--including the President--undergo hair follicle drug testing before he steps into the boxing ring with Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Nicolas Torre III for a charity bout.
“Kung talagang seryoso si Mayor Baste sa laban kontra droga, unahin niya ang Davao. Sa ilalim ng kanyang pamamahala, 37 na ang nahuling gumagamit ng ipinagbabawal na gamot. Imbes na maghamon sa iba, ayusin mo muna ang sarili mong bakuran,” said Khonghun.
(If Mayor Baste is truly serious about the fight against drugs, he should start with Davao. Under his administration, 37 individuals have been caught using illegal drugs. Instead of challenging others, fix your own backyard first.)
Torre was declared winner by default of the boxing match Sunday after the tough-talking Mayor Duterte no-showed the event. The latter reportedly flew to Singapore two days ago, even as he laid out his condition for the match to push through.
Last week, Mayor Duterte challenged Torre to a firstfight. The PNP chief accepted it and proposed a charity boxing match for the benefit of the typhoon victims.
“You want to talk about accountability? Then lead by example. Drug testing should begin in Davao City, and the results should be made public. That includes the mayor himself,” Chua said.
The Davao City Anti-Drug Abuse Council earlier confirmed that 37 personnel from the city’s Public Safety and Security Office tested positive during random drug tests.
Mayor Duterte is the son of former president Rodrigo Duterte. The latter is currently being held and tried by the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague in the Netherlands for crimes against humanity in connection with his bloody war on drugs.
Khonghun also took aim at the legacy of the previous administration, saying it failed to eliminate the very problems it vowed to destroy.
“Ginawa niyong modelo ang Davao sa kampanya kontra droga, pero mismong sa inyo, may mga empleyadong napatunayang gumagamit ng illegal na droga. Saan napunta ang sinasabi ninyong tagumpay?” he asked.
(You made Davao the model for the anti-drug campaign, but within your own ranks, there are employees proven to be using illegal drugs. Where did your so-called success go?)
The elder Duterte was elected as Davao City mayor during the May polls. Sebastian, the vice mayor, became acting mayor due to his father's incarceration.
It was Torre who led local authorities in arresting ex-president Duterte by virtue of a warrant from the ICC last March.
