THE office of Sen. Robin Padilla on Friday clarified that Senate Bill (SB) 1200, which proposes mandatory drug testing for public officials, was not directed at any specific individual, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Padilla: Drug testing bill not aimed at Marcos

Allegations of drug use against Marcos have been a recurring topic of political discourse, fueled primarily by statements from former president Rodrigo Duterte and his allies.

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In a statement, Padilla’s chief of staff, Rudolf Philip Jurado, affirmed the remarks made by Rep. Roland Valeriano, saying the senator’s proposal should not be misinterpreted as politically motivated or personally targeted.

“Senator Padilla was not referring to anyone else when he filed SB 1200,” Jurado said. “In fact, in the three years since he became senator, he has never made personal remarks against the President about the issue of illegal drug use.”

Jurado further emphasized that Padilla has consistently refrained from attacking the president or engaging in controversies to advance any political agenda. He described the bill as part of the senator’s broader advocacy for accountability and ethical governance.

“This measure was never directed at the president or any particular official. Senator Padilla wants to institutionalize a broader, system-wide reform anchored on the public office being a public trust,” the statement read.

The filing of SB 1200 comes amid renewed national discourse on drug policy and accountability in public service.

Padilla’s office also defended his separate advocacy for the medicalization of cannabis, noting that the senator’s longstanding push for compassionate and science-based policy has been unfairly politicized.

“Alongside this measure, the senator is also pushing for the medicalization of cannabis for legitimate health purposes,” Jurado said. “This has been a product of years of research and hard work grounded in compassion and science in the last Congress.”

Padilla’s team urged the public and fellow lawmakers to allow the legislative process to proceed without politicizing policy proposals.