Several posts on social media are spreading the false claim that the Supreme Court (SC) ordered all its judges, officers and employees to undergo mandatory drug tests.
Published on Aug. 14 by several Facebook (FB) and X users, the posts read:
“Today 14 August, the Office of the Court Administrator of the Supreme Court of the Republic of the Philippines issued OCA Circular 246 series of 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.”
It added that the release of the circular was in response to the “growing call” for required drug testing for all government employees.
“The Supreme Court Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) did not order mandatory drug testing for judges and employees of the Judiciary,” the High Court announced in an Aug. 14 FB post.
Under Section F.5 of the circular mentioned drug testing of judges, officials and employees of the judiciary will be done “on a random basis”.
“Random drug testing is not new for the Supreme Court and has been conducted every few years,” the SC Public Information Office (SCPIO) wrote in an Aug. 20 email to VERA Files Fact Check. These tests were done at the initiative of each court station.
The SCPIO said this is the first time it will be done in the lower courts, pursuant to the Judiciary’s drug free policy. The OCA has yet to issue guidelines on its implementation.
The untrue claim circulated after Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte filed a bill proposing all public officials, including the president, to undergo periodic drug testing. Previously, former president Rodrigo Duterte dared President Ferdinand Marcos to undergo a hair follicle test to prove he does not use illegal substances.
FB Page Mindanaoan Ako (created on June 9, 2020) and at least three other FB and X users published the untrue claim, collectively garnering over 2,100 reactions, 510 comments, 1,160 shares and 493 other online engagements.
