DUTERTE DARES COMELEC TO CHALLENGE HIS ASSUMPTION OF OFFICE

DAVAO CITY -- Mayor Rodrigo Duterte yesterday dared the Commission on
Elections (Comelec) to stop his assumption into office by the end of
June following his refusal to take the drug test required for
candidates in the May 10 elections.

Duterte, who garnered over 315,000 votes, won by an overwhelming
margin of over 160,000 votes over his rival, former mayor Benjamin de
Guzman. He was proclaimed last May 16 along with the other winning
candidates in the city's local elections.

The Comelec ruled, however, that winning candidates who have not
submitted their drug test results should not assume office by June 30.
The mayor stressed that the drug test requirement for those seeking
elective posts is not provided for in the Local Government Code.

Duterte likewise maintained that no punitive actions have also been
stipulated against candidates found to be positive of using illegal
drugs.

The mayor admitted he was particularly irked by the manner by which
Comelec officials in the city have demanded that he submit the
required drug test results, otherwise he cannot assume office on June
30.

As this developed, Duterte reportedly decided to stop giving
assistance to the Comelec office in the city. According to City
Administrator Wendel Avisado, the city government provides not only
funding for the operations of the city Comelec office but also hired
50 additional staff to augment the agency's lack of manpower.

The mayor said he will continue to refuse Comelec's ruling and shall
push through with his assumption of a new term of office on June 30.