Presidential aspirant and incumbent Senator Manny Pacquiao answers questions from the media after the wreath-laying ceremony on October 28, 2021, at the marker in Barangay Tisa, Cebu City where Redemptorist priest, Fr. Rosaleo “Rudy” Romano was abducted. | via Mae Fhel Gom-os
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Incumbent Senator Manny Pacquiao said he sees no problem with the proposal to let candidates of the 2022 elections undergo a drug test.
Pacquiao, who is vying to become the next president of the Philippines, made the comment following the proposal of media personality and senatorial candidate Raffy Tulfo to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to implement such measure.
The presidential aspirant said that candidates should show the Filipinos that they are clean prior to the start of the campaign period.
“Agree ako dapat ipakita natin na malinis tayo dapat bago magstart ng campaigning dapat magpa drug test kaming lahat,” said Pacquiao.
In his recent interview with reporters in Cebu, Tulfo said he would propose such a measure to the Comelec by taking hair follicle samples from the aspirants which are believed to be the most accurate way of detecting the presence of illegal substances.
Current drug tests use urine samples,
Medical News Today said hair follicle tests can identify regular and long-term drug use, whereas urine tests can detect only more recent drug use.
“It is also easier for a person to tamper with a urine sample than it is a hair sample, which may give hair follicle tests an advantage over urine tests when a person takes the test in a laboratory setting,” it said.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao earlier also expressed readiness to do face-to-face debates with the other presidentiables, saying that he knows what he is doing as he seeks the nation’s top position.
The only eight-division world boxing champion said he supports plans to hold in-person debates to give voters a clearer choice of who to support in the May 2022 national elections. /rcg
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