By Meanne Corvera
Eagle News Service
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency’s proposal to conduct mandatory drug testings for teachers and Grade 4 students and up has drawn mixed reactions from senators.
For Senator Panfilo Lacson, apart from the fact that the drug testing would help “the government’s prioritized efforts to curb drug addiction and trade, there is sufficient legal basis and jurisprudence
in the conduct of random drug testing among junior and high school
students.”
He said this was found in Section 36 of Republic Act 9165, the constitutionality of which, Lacson said, was upheld by the Supreme Court.
Section 36 states that an “authorized drug testing shall be done by any government forensic laboratories or by any of the drug testing laboratories accredited and monitored by the (Department of Health) to safeguard the quality of test results.”
It also specifies who shall undergo the drug testing: applicants for driver’s license; applicants for firearm’s license and for permit to carry firearms outside of residence; students of secondary and tertiary schools; officers and employees of public and private offices; officers and members of the military; police and other law enforcement agencies; All persons charged before the prosecutor’s office with a criminal offense having an imposable penalty of imprisonment of not less than six years and one day; and all candidates for public office whether appointed or elected both in the national or local government shall undergo a mandatory drug test.
But for Senator JV Ejercito, Grade 4 students were too young to be subjected to drug testing.
“I would not be surprised at the very young age, nagsisimula yan sa rugby. Minsan may nakikita akong batang may hawak na sigarilyo, parang masyado namang bata,” he said.
He said the drug testing could be done on “probably high school students.”
“Mas pwedeng sila ang pumasok sa drugs and other vices,” he said.
