The Philippine National Police (PNP) supported a lawmaker’s proposal to require celebrities and other talent to submit to drug testing before participating in entertainment-related initiatives.
PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. urged major television networks and organizations in the entertainment sector to put the measure into effect at a news conference at Camp Crame in Quezon City, noting the importance of role models for children.
“We encourage yung mga giant networks, even yung actors’ guild. Sila na magkusa parang nang sa ganun ay maipakita nila na tumutulong sila sa ating kampanya laban sa illegal na droga,” said Azurin.
This, after the weekend drug raid in Quezon City, which resulted in the detention of actor Dominic Roco and a number of other people.
“If you are a role model, your character should be impeccable. Meaning, you are clean. So I welcome that all of our actors and actresses would volunteer to be tested so they will be proven that many or all of them are good role models,” Azurin said in Filipino.
Dominic, 33, the son of renowned actor Bembol Roco, and his accomplices produced shabu and marijuana leaves valued PHP12,000 and PHP14,000, respectively.
Over the weekend, Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers campaigned for a requirement that actresses and other admired figures, particularly young people, submit to drug tests before being hired to work on films and other similar projects.
