By Roy Mabasa
Only newly crowned Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray can answer whether her response to the question pertaining to the legalization of marijuana was influenced by President Duterte’s stand on the matter.
This was how Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo reacted when asked by Palace reporters if Gray’s answer was inspired by the President’s own stand on the controversial legalization of marijuana in the Philippines.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo
(OPS / MANILA BULLETIN)
“Catriona Gray's position on the legalization of marijuana for healing purposes could have been influenced by PRRD's stand on the matter or she could have come up with that conclusion after considering the pros and cons of the issue. She is the only one who can answer whether or not she was influenced by PRRD (Pres. Duterte). I suggest you ask her after her triumphant return,” Panelo said in a text message sent to reporters on Monday, hours after Gray bagged the Miss Universe crown.
During the question and answer portion for the top five candidates, American comedian and Miss Universe 2018 host Steve Harvey asked Gray, “Canada recently joined Uruguay as the second nation in the world to make marijuana legal. What is your opinion on the legalization of marijuana?”
Without hesitation, the Australian-Filipina beauty said: “I'm for being used in medical use but not so for recreational use. Because I think if people were to argue, 'what about alcohol and cigarettes?' So everything is good but in moderation. Thank you.”
President Duterte himself was quoted as saying recently that he is in favor of the legalization of the cannabis for medical and health use.