Lawmakers will be asked to voluntarily undergo drug testing

House Speaker Eli Cabrera (R-Saipan) and Senate President Paul Manglona (Ind-Rota) separately said yesterday they will ask their respective members to voluntarily submit to drug testing to remove suspicion in anyone’s mind about lawmakers, on the heels of Rep. Ray Palacios’ (Cov-Saipan) statements to the media that he might have used drugs or might have gotten drugs for a family member in the past.

Palacios said yesterday he does not have any comments at this time, when asked whether he would submit himself to drug testing. Palacios is chairman of the House Committee on Education.

“Just make sure it’s the truth. That’s all I have to say,” he told Saipan Tribune, when informed that there are other stories related to drug use allegations that will come out.

Last year, for the first time in CNMI history, all nine senators in the 17th Legislature underwent mandatory drug testing as required in the Senate Rules, which they amended and adopted in January 2010. All results came back negative.

Manglona said he will again ask senators to submit themselves to drug testing this year but only if House members will also do it.

Cabrera, when asked for comment on drug testing, said he will ask House members to voluntarily submit themselves to drug tests. He said as a role model, he will be the first one to submit himself to drug test as early as today.

“I will also ask the members to do the same. I will ask them during the next session,” Cabrera told Saipan Tribune.

Cabrera’s plan was supported by some lawmakers who were asked for comment yesterday, including House floor leader George Camacho (Ind-Saipan), who will head a seven-member Special Committee on Ethics that will look into drug-related issues surrounding Palacios.

“I have no problem with that. I don’t think we’re doing drug testing in the House,” Camacho said.

Rep. Ray Yumul (R-Saipan) and Rep. Ray Tebuteb (Ind-Saipan) separately said they will also submit themselves to drug testing should the speaker asks them to.

“I’m not worried,” said Yumul, a reservist. “Military reserve personnel get randomly tested once a year. You don’t know when it will be.”

The Senate president said random drug testing is one thing that the Legislature should consider among lawmakers every year. He said the Legislative Bureau should also follow up on an earlier proposal to do random drug testing.

Last year, Senate floor leader Pete P. Reyes (R-Saipan) challenged House members to undergo drug tests just like what all nine senators did. But no House member voluntarily submitted themselves to drug tests last year.

Unlike the Senate, the House’s own rules do not require drug testing among members.