MANILA Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso yesterday said he tested negative for illegal drugs use.
Moreno is the third presidential aspirant who voluntarily underwent drug tests this week following President Duterte’s statement that an aspirant from a wealthy family is a cocaine user.
Moreno’s drug test was conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Laboratory Service at its main office in Quezon City.
“Urine specimen collected from Francisco Moreno Domagoso does not contain methamphetamine, MDMA, cocaine, and their metabolites, as well as THC metabolites.
Screening examination conducted on specimen gave negative results to the presence of methamphetamine, MDMA, cocaine, and their metabolites, as well as THC metabolites,” a PDEA chemistry report provided by Moreno’s camp showed.
“This examination result was based on the condition of the urine specimen at the time of examination,” it added.
Moreno’s running mate, Dr. Willie Ong, also underwent the procedure and tested negative for illegal drug use.
“As per my request the other day, we submitted for drug testing in support of President Duterte’s war on drugs. We as candidates voluntarily submitted ourselves for drug testing and we are happy to share it to you all that it gave negative results for shabu, cocaine, MDMA and metabolites and marijuana,” Moreno told reporters.
He said he and Ong decided to undergo the test at the PDEA because it is “the proper agency for drug testing.”
PDEA spokesman Derrick Carreon said the agency could not show results of the tests of Moreno and Ong as he said “only the requesting party is furnished a copy of their result.”
“The PDEA Laboratory Service cannot reveal the results because these are confidential and it will violate our procedures… It’s only the candidates, requesting party who can release the results if they want,” he added.
On Monday, Senators Panfilo Lacson and Vicente Sotto III, who are running for president and vice president, took drug tests at the PDEA and publicly showed their negative test results.
On Tuesday, former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. also announced that he tested negative for cocaine use. The test, he said, was taken at the St. Luke’s Medical Center at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City. Marcos has said he did not feel “alluded to” by Duterte’s claim about the cocaine-using aspirant.
Marcos’ running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, on Wednesday announced she took a drug test in the city and also tested negative for illegal drugs use.
Vice President Leni Robredo, the opposition’s presidential bet, on Wednesday said she is willing to undergo a drug test at any time but said candidates should not schedule the tests.
She said the test “should be random, unannounced” so results would show the real situation.
Presidential aspirant Sen. Manny Pacquiao has released his negative drug test results taken in July and September this year.
Another presidential aspirant, Sen. Christopher Go who is being backed by President Duterte, has expressed willingness to undergo a drug test.
APPEAL JUNKED
The Second Division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has dismissed a motion for reconsideration (MR) on its November 18 decision granting the Marcos camp an extension period to file a verified answer.
The MR was filed by a group of petitioners led by Fr Christian Buenafe, who are looking to have the certificate of candidacy (COC) filed by Marcos canceled.
The Second Division’s order, dated November 23 and signed by Presiding Commissioner Socorro Inting, said the petitioners “suffered no damage” as Marcos filed his answer on November 19 “or three days before the expiration of the extension given.”
It also said the Comelec’s rules provide it can suspend reglementary periods “in the interest of justice and speedy resolution of the cases.” It added the Comelec has to allow contending parties be given the chance to be heard fully.
The November 18 ruling of Second Division came two days after the November 16 deadline given to Marcos’ camp to submit a verified answer to the petition of Buenafe et al.
The MR was filed on the same day Marcos filed his answer.
Despite the junking of their MR, the petitioners continued their objection to the grant of extension.
In a six-page Bill of Exceptions filed on Wednesday, the petitioners accused the Comelec of committing grave abuse of discretion, while calling Marcos’ actions a “brazen disregard” of the rules.
A preliminary conference on the case is set for today. The petitioners said they still have not received a copy of Marcos’ answer.
ALLIANCE
Four political parties yesterday inked an agreement to form the “UniTeam” to support Marcos and Duterte-Carpio.
The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFF), Hugpong ng Pagbabago, Lakas-Christian and Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), and Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino formalized their alliance during an agreement signing at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Pasay City.
The signatories are PFP president and South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., HNP president and Davao Occidental Gov. Claude Bautista, Lakas-CMD president and House majority leader Martin Romualdez, and PMP president former senator Jinggoy Estrada.
Marcos is running under the PFP while Duterte Carpio is under Lakas-CMD.
“In view of the shared vision of the convenor and partners, all parties have agreed to forge this alliance that will pave the way for unity, strength, and continued positive change for the country,” part of the agreement said.
As to senatorial candidates, the agreement said “all partners shall be allowed to field one senatorial candidate in the line-up and the complete line-up shall be announced on or before Dec. 1, 2021.’
Marcos said the agreement would pave the way for a unified campaign amid a “tumultuous campaign” in a “tumultuous time.”
In a video message, Duterte-Carpio said the “’UniTeam” alliance not only shows the parties’ firm aspirations for the country but also “echoes loudly of our triumph to peacefully unite and stand side by side in the pursuit of continued development and positive change for our fellow Filipinos and the Philippines.”
Estrada said the UniTeam alliance resolved to pursue their common agenda for the country.
Romualdez, a cousin of Marcos, said the alliance is the first key move in a major buildup, and the overall objective is for “a grand coalition of national and regional parties” that share the party’s vision.
He said the Marcos-Duterte tandem represents “solid background in public service and a clear vision on how to keep Filipino families safe and the Philippine economy growing and expanding.”
The signing came a day after Lakas-CMD officially adopted Marcos as its presidential candidate in the 2022 elections and Duterte Carpio as its vice presidential bet.
CARAVANS SCRAPPED
Moreno’s camp said it will no longer hold any “Blue Wave” caravan, which was named after the official campaign color of Moreno and Ong, so as to add to the expected traffic congestion this holiday season.
Moreno’s campaign strategist Lito Banayo said the lowing of COVID-10 alert levels will result in more people going of their houses.
“We are aware that with the mad rush for shopping in malls and in places like Divisoria, we can expect monstrous traffic jams. Hence, the cancellation of all motorcades of our supporters beginning today until the first week of January 2022,” he added.
The first “”Blue Wave” caravan was held on October 14 from Manila to Caloocan in celebration of the birthdays of Moreno and Ong. — With Victor Reyes, Gerard Naval and Peter Tabingo
