Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla says he orders Reina Mercedes, Isabela Vice Mayor Jeryll Harold Respicio to take a drug test after a viral outburst and heated exchange during a Sangguniang Bayan session. Remulla publicly calls the vice mayor’s behavior concerning and urges that he be tested.
Multiple reports say Respicio agrees and voluntarily undergoes the test at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City. The testing is conducted after Remulla’s call, with some accounts noting Respicio also challenges the interior chief to submit to a drug test at the same time. Results later come back negative. In follow-up coverage, Remulla congratulates Respicio, while Respicio acknowledges the cost of the test and jokes that Remulla should reimburse him, posting details of the findings and the hospital invoice.
