Actress Nadia Montenegro has stepped down as political affairs officer of Senator Robin Padilla, citing mental health concerns and the welfare of her children.
Padilla’s office confirmed on Monday that Montenegro submitted her resignation letter and written explanation, which the senator’s chief of staff, Atty. Rudolf Philip Jurado, said was immediately accepted.
In her five-page letter dated August 15, Montenegro denied accusations that she was the Senate staff member allegedly caught using marijuana inside the Senate building.
“I vehemently deny that I am the staff of the senator mentioned in those articles… There was NO incident wherein OSAA personnel found me in the restroom regarding marijuana odor,” she stressed.
Montenegro clarified that on August 12, she had used a PWD comfort room, not the ladies’ restroom where the supposed marijuana scent was reported. She added that she even showed her grape-flavored vape to Senate security personnel to prove her innocence.
The actress lamented that the incident report, which should have been internal, was leaked to the media, resulting in public backlash and harsh criticisms directed at her and her children.
“These claims have caused great pain and distress… My children were unjustly ridiculed, being called the children of a ‘drug addict,’” she said.
Montenegro emphasized her resignation was not an admission of guilt but a move to protect her family and avoid further distractions for Senator Padilla’s office.
