SEN. Emmanuel Pacquiao yesterday said he used illegal drugs during his younger years when he was not yet into boxing.
Pacquiao, a presidential aspirant, said he tried “shabu” when he was living alone and earning from odd jobs. The drugs came from people he used to mingle with.
“Kapag mahirap ka at ignorante sa buhay, hindi mo alam ang layunin ng mga taong iyong makakasalamuha at pakikisamahan. At kapag bata ka, may mga taong pagsasamantalahan ang iyong murang isipan (When you are poor and still ignorant in life, you don’t know the true objective of the people you meet. And while you’re young, there are people around you who will take advantage of you),” he said in a statement which was issued after Agence France Presse reported he was “naive” and ignorant of the law when he used shabu during his younger years.
Pacquiao made the revelation after some presidential and vice presidential aspirants voluntarily had themselves tested for illegal drugs following President Duterte’s statement last week that an aspirant from a wealthy family is using cocaine.
Those who have had themselves tested are presidential aspirants Sen. Panfilo Lacson and former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, and vice presidential aspirant Senate President Vicente Sotto III.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, Marcos’ running mate, yesterday said she also tested negative for drugs, like Lacson, Sotto and Marcos. Presidential aspirant Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said he would have himself tested today by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Pacquiao’s camp has said he tested negative in drug tests taken in July and September this year, prior his boxing match in the US. Pacquiao said drug users “are victims of circumstances in life” who must be given a chance to reform.
“Sino ba sa atin ang walang nagawang kasalanan. Mahirap po ang aking pinagdaanan (Who among us have not sinned? I have struggled in life),” he added.
Presidential daughter Duterte-Carpio said she underwent drug testing yesterday on Marcos’ request “to support the call for transparency as aspiring public officials seeking the trust of our fellow Filipinos.” A copy of the test result showed she had the test at the Hi-Precision Diagnostics facility in Davao City.
Marcos said he was tested at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City while Lacson and Sotto went directly to the PDEA headquarters in Quezon City. Marcos’ lawyer, apparently irritated by comments on social media questioning the negative result of the cocaine test, said it would be better for critics to address their questions to the testing hospital. Vic Rodriguez said no amount of explaining would be enough for Marcos critics. — With Ashzel Hachero
