After Duterte revelation, Moreno wants all presidential aspirants to undergo drug test

(File photo) Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso speaking during his third state of the city address. Courtesy of Manila PIO

MANILA, Philippines — All presidential aspirants must undergo drug testing and it is better that it is conducted by government authorities, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said a day after President Rodrigo Duterte claimed that one of the those aspiring to be president is a cocaine user.

Moreno, a presidential aspirant himself, said on Friday that he has no qualms about submitting himself to drug testing, saying it should be required because it would be hard to fight a societal problem if the president is a part of it.

“When do you want, publicly?  Why not?  Kasi if a president will fight against drugs, as a matter of policy, then dapat talaga na kami rin,” Moreno told reporters in Calauan, Laguna.

“Ako, I don’t mind, anytime, lalo na, mas maganda nga kung ahensya ng gobyerno more than sa kusa, i-require lahat, okay lang ako,” he added.

(I don’t mind, anytime and it is better that it would be conducted by a government agency and it is a requirement to all, I’m ok with it.)

According to Moreno, he is not aware of Duterte’s revelations that one of the presidential aspirants — referred by the President as a “he” — was into cocaine.  But he said that if the President said that the alleged drug user comes from a rich family, then it is certain that it is not him being alluded to.

“Di ko alam eh, basta ako naka-focus ako sa tao, sigurado ako, eh si Chayong ang si… ang nanay at tatay ko.  Di ko alam eh.  I cannot comment on something that I’m not privy,” he said.

“Ay hindi, labandera nanay ko eh, tatay ko estibador sa Pier eh, sa Pier 8 to be exact.  Sabi ko nga sa’yo haciendero kami eh, may-ari kami ng bulubunduking umuusok pa,” Moreno said when asked if they were rich, referencing to the Smokey Mountain in Tondo, an area that used to be a landfill.

On Thursday, Duterte shook the country by claiming that one of the presidential aspirants is into cocaine, saying that he comes from a rich family, and is a weak leader compared to his father.

READ: Duterte claims a presidential aspirant does cocaine 

READ: Duterte: There’s a cocaine user running for president 

Many netizens believed that Duterte’s blind item were for former senator Bongbong Marcos, a presidential aspirant, but his camp said they never felt being alluded to.

READ: Marcos Jr.’s rep: ‘We don’t feel alluded to’ by Duterte’s cocaine user claim vs bet 

JPV