Sara Duterte accepts dare to undergo drug test

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday she is ready to be the first public official to submit to a hair follicle drug test, adding that she supports her brother's bill at the House of Representatives to compel all elected officials to undergo "mandatory random" drug testing. 

Duterte said in an ambush interview in Davao City that the drug test is necessary to ensure public officials are in the "right state of mind." 

"Unang una dapat talaga mapanigurado nating lahat na nasa tamang pag-iisip yung ating mga public officials, kasama na ako doon," she said. 

(First of all, we really need to ensure that all our public officials, including myself, are in the right state of mind.) 

Duterte said she has read "people's calls" for her to submit to a drug test and is willing to do so through a "third party."

This comes after former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque dared all three Duterte siblings earlier this week to undergo a drug test to "lead by example."  

On Monday, Rep. Paolo Duterte (Davao City, 1st District) filed a bill that will require all elected and appointed officials, including the president, to undergo "mandatory random" drug testing every six months. 

Roque shared copies of this bill on his Facebook page with the caption: "Time for Follicle Test PBBM!"

House Bill 10744 amends Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 to specify that all screening tests will be done through hair follicle testing, while confirmatory tests will involve urine drug tests.

Former president Rodrigo Duterte, the lawmaker's father, challenged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last month to undergo hair follicle testing to disprove allegations that he uses illegal substances.