Davao City Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte clapped back at Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Thursday, challenging him to undergo a hair follicle drug test after the latter suggested that the lawmaker may have been “high” when he claimed that the International Criminal Court (ICC) had issued an arrest warrant against Senator Christopher “Bong” Go.
The exchange stemmed from a social media post made by Duterte on Wednesday night, in which he claimed that a “highly reliable source” had informed him that the ICC had issued arrest warrants against Go and two former police officers.
Responding to the claim, Remulla said that Duterte “may have been high” when he received the information. The Interior secretary also clarified that authorities had not received any arrest warrant against Go that had been endorsed by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Duterte took offense at Remulla’s remarks and fired back in a statement posted on Facebook.
“Ako pa talaga ang sinabihan mong "high" at "sabog," Secretary Jonvic Remulla? Ako? O baka nagkamali ka lang ng tinutumbok at ang gusto mo talagang sabihin ay iyong mga nasa Malakanyang?” Duterte said.
The Davao lawmaker challenged Remulla to undergo a hair follicle drug test to determine who among them was using illegal substances.
“Kung gusto mo talagang malaman kung sino ang "high" at sino ang "sabog," simple lang naman ang solusyon. Magpa-hair follicle drug test tayo,” Duterte said.
He also called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to take the same test, along with First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and the President’s son.
“Sama mo na ang boss mo at asawa't anak nya. Para isang testing na lang, tapos ang usapan,” Duterte said.
Duterte further criticized Remulla, suggesting that the secretary’s remarks may have referred not to drug use but to abuses of power.
“Pero baka ibang sabog din ang tinutumbok mo Jonvic. Baka yung sabog sa kapangyarihan. Sabog sa korapsyon. Sabog sa kayabangan. Ug sabog sa pagtuo nga ang katawhan dili na kabalo motan-aw kung kinsa ang nagtrabaho ug kinsa ang nagpa-pogi lang sa kamera,” Duterte said.
He also urged Remulla to “look in the mirror” before labeling others as “high” or “out of their minds.”
”Baka nandoon ang sagot sa mga tanong mo,” he stated.
Go has been identified by the International Criminal Court (ICC) as an alleged co-perpetrator in the crimes against humanity case linked to former President Rodrigo Duterte's controversial anti-drug campaign. Duterte, the father of Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, is currently detained in The Hague, Netherlands.
The latest ICC arrest warrant was issued against former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and now Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. The senator briefly resurfaced at the Senate on May 11 before going back into hiding.
