The camp of presidential aspirant and senator Manny Pacquiao said that he is clear from illegal drug use by publicizing his anti-doping tests prior to his fight in Las Vegas against Youdenis Ugas.
Pacquiao’s team said that the drug test is required for all athletes.
Pacquiao was subjected to the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) dated July 28, 2021 and September 8, 2021.
The tests cover enhancing drugs that include anabolic agents like steroids and all stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine.
The senator tested negative for the substances prohibited by the World Boxing Council.
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Pacquiao previously admitted that he used crystal meth when he was young.
In an ABS-CBN report, the VADA test covers the following , the test also covers the following substances: Adrafinil; Amfepramone; Amfetamine; Amfetaminil; Amiphenazole; Benfluorex; Benzylpiperazine; Bromantan; Clobenzorex; Cropropamide; Crotetamide; Fencamine; Fenetylline; Fenfluramine; Fenproporex ; Fonturancetam (4-phenylpiracetam (carphedon)); Furfenorex; Lisdexamfetamine; Mefenorex; Mephentermine; Mesocarb; p-methylamphetamine; Modafinil; Norfenfluramine; Phendimetrazine; Phentermine; Prenylamine; Prolintane ; Buprenorphine; Dextromoramide; Diamorphine (heroin); Fentanyl and its derivatives; Hydromorphone; Methadone; Morphine; Nicomorphine; Oxycodone; Oxymorphone; Pentazocine and Pethidine.
Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte repeated his claims that a presidential aspirant is linked to illegal drugs like cocaine.
“Totoo yan. There is a candidate who was using cocaine, and you can ask yung mga mayaman,” Duterte said in an event in General Santos.
When asked about why he did not investigate the presidential aspirant, Duterte said that people have no idea about rich people.
“Sabihin ng pulis bakit hindi natin hinuli? Bakit hindi mo hinuli, president? Hindi mo alam ang mga mayaman. They go on a yacht, yate, or in the air… doon yan sila magsupsup ng ano nila,” Duterte said.
The president meanwhile said that it’s up to the people if they will believe him or not.
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“Ako, di ako nagaano, pero kung maniwala kayo, total marami man mayaman na matanong ninyo, tanungin ninyo. Then, if you do not believe it, we’ll leave it that way. Basta sinabi ko. Let it not be said later on that I did not tell you,” he said.
The Philippine National Police said that they are now probing the claims of Duterte.
PNP chief Dionardo Carlos said that he has tasked its anti-narcotics units to start a probe on the matter.
“At the end of the day, may privilege, presidential information ‘yan. Ang effort namin is to be able to validate. After validation makita natin kung this can be a subject of an operation and then kung validated ‘yan tinitingnan natin,” Carlos said.
The PNP adds that they are now coordinating with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to investigate Duterte’s claims.
