Duterte dares Comelec to challenge his assumption of office

DAVAO CITY — Mayor Rodrigo Duterte yesterday dared the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to stop his assumption into office by the end of June following his refusal to take the drug test required for candidates in the May 10 elections.

Duterte, who garnered over 315,000 votes, won by an overwhelming margin of over 160,000 votes over his rival, former mayor Benjamin de Guzman. He was proclaimed last May 16 along with the other winning candidates in the city’s local elections.

The Comelec ruled, however, that winning candidates who have not submitted their drug test results should not assume office by June 30. The mayor stressed that the drug test requirement for those seeking elective posts is not provided for in the Local Government Code.

Duterte likewise maintained that no punitive actions have also been stipulated against candidates found to be positive of using illegal drugs.

The mayor admitted he was particularly irked by the manner by which Comelec officials in the city have demanded that he submit the required drug test results, otherwise he cannot assume office on June 30.

As this developed, Duterte reportedly decided to stop giving assistance to the Comelec office in the city. According to City Administrator Wendel Avisado, the city government provides not only funding for the operations of the city Comelec office but also hired 50 additional staff to augment the agency’s lack of manpower.

The mayor said he will continue to refuse Comelec’s ruling and shall push through with his assumption of a new term of office on June 30.