Tovic Salvador

Senate facade. Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA  — Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III has written Senate President Francis Escudero to conduct mandatory random drug testing at the Senate while an investigation is ongoing into whether a member of Sen. Robinhood Padilla&#x27;s staff was smoking marijuana in Senate premises.</p><p>Padilla&#x27;s political officer Nadia Montenegro has been ordered to explain the incident while his office and the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms conducts parallel investigations.  She has denied the allegation.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/16/how-workplaces-should-keep-themselves-drug-free-according-to-the-ddb-1414"><strong>How workplaces should keep themselves drug-free, according to the DDB<br/></strong></a></div><p>Sotto, in his letter, did not mention Padilla or Montenegro, saying only he was requesting the testing because of news articles &quot;regarding an alleged use of marijuana&quot; at the Senate.</p><p>He said that the Senate conducted mandatory random drug testing in 2018 in compliance with the Dangerous Drugs Act, Civil Service Commission rules and Senate policy and that this should be done again to ensure a drug-free workplace.</p><p>&quot;This will ensure that the morale, efficiency, integrity, responsiveness, progressiveness and courtesy shall be observed in the civil service,&quot; Sotto, a former chair of the policy-making Dangerous Drugs Board, said.</p><p>The CSC requires drug testing before employment and random mandatory drug testing at least every two years.</p><p>Padilla — a member of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino party that has been supportive of its chairman Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s violent drug war — has yet to comment on his political officer&#x27;s troubles. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/15/padilla-office-denies-nadia-montenegro-quit-amid-probe-into-marijuana-use-1434"><strong>Padilla&#x27;s office: Nadia Montenegro on leave amid probe on &#x27;marijuana use&#x27; in Senate<br/></strong></a></div><p>His chief of staff Atty. Rudolf Philip Jurado said Friday, however, that Padilla&#x27;s office had &quot;commenced an initial internal investigation&quot; into news reports of the alleged use of marijuana.</p><p> &quot;On the same day, [Montenegro] was directed to take a leave of absence, effective immediately,&quot; he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3I3EuUdwt94?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>"This will ensure that the morale, efficiency, integrity, responsiveness, progressiveness and courtesy shall be observed in the civil service," Sotto, a former chair of the policy-making Dangerous Drugs Board, said.</p>

"This will ensure that the morale, efficiency, integrity, responsiveness, progressiveness and courtesy shall be observed in the civil service," Sotto, a former chair of the policy-making Dangerous Drugs Board, said.

Sotto seeks drug testing at Senate as alleged marijuana use creates cloud of doubt

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

Nation

Sotto seeks drug testing at Senate as alleged marijuana use creates cloud of doubt

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 17, 2025 11:18 AM PHT

|

Updated Aug 17, 2025 06:24 PM PHT

Read More:

Vicente Sotto III

Senate

Drug tests

Drug testing

Robin Padilla

Nadia Montenegro

ABSNews

ANCpromo

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.