(File photo) MANILA - The Philippine National Police (PNP) lauded the initiative of some presidential aspirants and other candidates in the 2022 local and national elections to undergo a drug test. PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said the move reflects the candidates' commitment for drug-free governance. "As applicants for government positions, candidates for the May 2022 elections should indeed be at the forefront of showing to the public that they are clean and that they will continue addressing the problem," he said in a statement on Saturday. Vice President Leni Robredo and Senators Panfilo Lacson, Manny Pacquiao and Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa as well as Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko" Moreno Domagoso, and former Senator Bongbong Marcos have supported the proposal to require both national and local candidates to undergo drug tests. All of them are presidential aspirants. Five vice presidential candidates also back the drug testing of candidates. They are Senators Vicente Sotto, Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, and Christopher "Bong" Go; Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza, and Doc Willie Ong. Sotto, incumbent Senate president, has said he included drug tests in the Republic Act 9165, or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, but was shot down by the Supreme Court over constitutionality issues. "On the part of the PNP, we will support whatever the strategies that would be implemented by our next leaders on the campaign against illegal (drugs) because despite the criticisms, this campaign resulted in significant reduction of crime in the country," Eleazar said. (PNA) }