Camille Naredo

Article (news)

Juan Miguel Zubiri

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA -- Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri on Monday led his 35-person staff in testing for illegal drugs, in a bid to lead by example as the Senate deals with allegations that one of its personnel smoked marijuana in the building.</p><p>Zubiri said that they will be tested for five prohibited substances: shabu, marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, and opium.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/14/senate-probes-reports-staff-smoked-marijuana-in-premises-1000">READ: Robin Padilla&#x27;s office, Senate probe aide&#x27;s alleged marijuana use in premises</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/15/padilla-office-denies-nadia-montenegro-quit-amid-probe-into-marijuana-use-1434">READ: Nadia Montenegro on leave amid probe on &#x27;marijuana use&#x27; in Senate -- Padilla&#x27;s office</a></div><p>&quot;&#x27;Yung ginawa ko pong testing today, in coordination with the Senate Medical Bureau, ito po yung kanilang accredited laboratory for drug tests,&quot; he said.</p><p>Zubiri and his staff provided urine samples but he stressed that they are also willing to undergo a hair follicle test. &quot;No problem po sa amin &#x27;yan,&quot; he said.</p><p>He believes that other members of the Senate Minority Bloc will also undergo drug tests and is hopeful that the majority bloc will follow suit.</p><p>&quot;The minority would like to lead by example,&quot; he said.</p><p>Any member of his staff who tests positive for drug use will be given a chance to rehabilitate, Zubiri also assured.</p><p>&quot;We have to suspend them for the meantime and rehabilitate. Pagkatapos po ng rudimentary period for rehabilitation at positive pa rin po sila, then we have no choice but to dismiss the employee, our employee, coterminous naman po yan sa akin, dahil mahirap,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;We don&#x27;t want to encourage them. And the workforce sa labas, sa private sector, kailangan talaga mag-rehabilitate or else matatanggal po sila sa trabaho nila,&quot; he added.</p><p>Zubiri was admittedly surprised at the reports of alleged marijuana use in the Senate premises, and asked the Office of the Sergeant At Arms to look at the Closed Circuit TV Cameras.</p><p>Actress Nadia Montenegro resigned from her post as a political officer in Sen. Robin Padilla&#x27;s staff in the wake of the allegations. An incident report from the Office of the Senate Sergeant At Arms said Montenegro was in one of the ladies&#x27; rooms in the building when it started to smell like marijuana. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/18/nadia-montenegro-resigns-from-sen-robin-padilla-s-office-amid-marijuana-probe-1218">READ: Nadia Montenegro resigns from Sen. Robin Padilla&#x27;s office amid marijuana probe</a></div><p>The same incident report said Montenegro denied the allegation.</p><p>&quot;Kasi lahat naman ng kanto dito may CCTV. So kung sino pong gumamit ng banyong yun, kung sa banyo nga pong naamoy yung marijuana, mapipin down naman kung sino pumasok noong araw na yan. Particularly at that moment, at that time, sa banyo na yan. Then you can pinpoint kung sino man yan ang gumamit,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri on Monday led his 35-person staff in testing for illegal drugs, in a bid to lead by example as the Senate deals with allegations that one of its personnel smoked marijuana in the building.</p>

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri on Monday led his 35-person staff in testing for illegal drugs, in a bid to lead by example as the Senate deals with allegations that one of its personnel smoked marijuana in the building.

Zubiri, staff undergo drug testing amid allegations of marijuana use in Senate

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Zubiri, staff undergo drug testing amid allegations of marijuana use in Senate

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 18, 2025 03:14 PM PHT

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drug tests

Migs Zubiri

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Philippine Senate

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