While both President Rodrigo Duterte and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte expected to attend this year’s MassKara Festival highlights, the two are scheduled to arrive separately.

According to Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia, the Davao City mayor’s chief of staff said she will be in the city by October 27, during the annual street and arena dance competition; while the president is expected the following day.

The mayor added, the elder Duterte’s scheduled arrival is not yet final and still needs to be announced by those arranging the visit.

Other dignitaries expected for the ongoing festival include senatorial candidates former Philippine National Police Director-General Ronald Dela Rosa and former Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Francis Tolentino; along with Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Martin Diño./DGB, WDJ

——–

Bacolod City Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran offered his support for the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) proposal to conduct random drug testing on 2019 midterm election candidates.

In a radio interview over the weekend, Familiaran said drug testing should be both random and mandatory.

Earlier this week, after PDEA offered the suggestion, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the administration still needs to discuss specific conditions, calling it “problematic” due to earlier pronouncement by the Supreme Court that declared mandatory drug testing on candidates seeking positions in the House of Representatives and Senate unconstitutional.

However, Panelo also said the Supreme Court decision only limited the prohibition on elected officials “whose qualifications and eligibility requirements are prescribed by the Constitution,” meaning local government candidates can be subject to testing.

Panelo also urged those running for office to voluntarily undergo drug testing./DGB, WDJ