In a surprising turn of events, Isabela Vice Mayor Jeryll Harold Respicio swiftly responded to a challenge from Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla by undergoing a costly drug test on October 7. The reaction came after Respicio’s heated remarks during a livestreamed Sangguniang Bayan session, where he accused local barangay captains of being 'thieves' regarding the handling of funds from tobacco excise taxes.
Respicio, humorously addressing the situation, stated that he felt he should receive a refund from Remulla for the expensive drug test that cost him P28,000. "He should give me a refund! He dared me into it, and I ended up paying P28,000!" he jested in a phone interview. The vice mayor further emphasized that a refund would be purely voluntary, regardless of whether his test results came back positive or negative.
The drug test itself, performed at St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City, returned negative results for a wide range of substances, including Benzodiazepines, cocaine, ecstasy, methamphetamine, opiates, and others. Respicio described the testing process, indicating the rigorous environment to ensure the integrity of the results. He noted that while he rushed to the facility, the testing included both qualitative and quantitative components, which provided results in a relatively short time frame of just hours.
The situation escalated after Remulla's comments regarding Respicio's conduct during the session, where he appeared agitated and accusatory toward barangay captains. Remulla suggested, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, that Respicio seemed 'out of it,' and even questioned the vice mayor's mental state, insinuating the possibility of substance abuse due to his bombastic behavior during the meeting.
Despite the backlash from Remulla, Respicio stated that he is willing to accept the consequences of his actions, insisting on the need for accountability among public officials, particularly concerning those involved in corruption and harassment of local tobacco farmers. He stated,
You can punish me, but I want the thieves in the government to be penalized as well, especially those who exploit governmental resources for personal gain.
However, he also acknowledged his frequent absences from work but maintained that he had justifiable reasons for them. Despite facing potential disciplinary actions, including suspension, Respicio reaffirmed his commitment to standing by his actions and their potential repercussions, stating,
I can accept the consequences of my actions. At any rate, I don’t regret what I did.
While the drug test cleared him of substance use, the accompanying public exchange highlights the ongoing challenges and tensions within local governance and raises questions about accountability and transparency in the conduct of public officials.