MindaNews fact-checked a post by EB Jugalbot on his Facebook page that the Supreme Court has issued a circular that judges are required to undergo mandatory drug testing as part of their annual physical checkup. Lawyer Harry Roque made the same claim in his Facebook Live. This is false.
On August 14, Facebook user EB Jugalbot posted on his page that the Supreme Court on the same day issued Office of the Court Administrator Circular 246-2024 “mandating ALL Judges, Officers, and Employees of the Judiciary to UNDERGO MANDATORY DRUG TESTING as part of their annual comprehensive physical and medical examination.”
Jugalbot said the circular gives “credence to the CONSTITUTIONALITY of MANDATORY Drug Testing for ALL employees of government whether career, appointed, or elected,” and that it shows that the SC “submitted itself to the growing call for mandatory drug testing for ALL government employees including the President and members of Congress.”
“Hence, there is no more legal impediment for Pulong Duterte’s bill to prosper minus the provision on drug testing for candidates,” he added in his post.
Jugalbot was referring to the bill filed by Davao Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte requiring all government officials and employees, including the President, to undergo a mandatory drug test.
Lawyer Harry Roque, in his Facebook Live on August 14, also said that the High Court requires all judges to undergo drug testing. (He uttered this at 3:24 of the 19:56-long video.)
SC spokesperson lawyer Camille Ting, in a statement posted on the Facebook page of the Supreme Court, said: “The OCA issued OCA Circular No. 246-2024 enjoining all judges and court personnel of the first and second level courts to undergo a basic annual physical examination on or before October 15, 2024.
It did not require a mandatory drug test. Under Item F.5 of the Judiciary Health Care Plan on Annual Physical Examination, drug testing of judges, officials and employees is included on a RANDOM BASIS.”
Item F.5 of the circular states: “Drug testing of judges, officials and employees shall be included as part of the annual physical examination on a random basis.”
As of 5:33pm on August 15, Jugalbot’s post had generated 3,000 reactions, 489 comments and 1,100 shares. He has 21,000 followers as of the same date.
On the other hand, Roque’s video had generated 1,600 reactions, 405 comments and 29,000 views. He has 1.5 million followers.
As with all our other reports, MindaNews welcomes leads or suggestions from the public to potential fact-check stories. (H. Marcos C. Mordeno / MindaNews)
