House Minority Leader 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino "Nonoy" Libanan has slammed a proposal compelling the president to undergo yearly drug testing, calling it a case of "theatrics" and "gimmicky".

Libanan was referring to Senator Robinhood "Robin" Padilla's bill, which sought annual mandatory drug tests for the President and other government officials.

“The timing speaks volumes. Instead of cleaning up his own backyard, somebody is trying to deflect attention by dragging the Office of the President into a spectacle. The presidency is not a stage for gimmicks or stunts,” Libanan said in a statement Tuesday, Aug. 19.

Padilla lodged the proposal just days after one of the senator's own staff members was embroiled in a marijuana controversy inside the Senate. Padillla is a member of the so-called Duterte bloc, which is a group of Marcos administration critics.

Libanan stressed that his opposition to the senator's propsoal is not about shielding any individual, but about safeguarding the institution itself.

“Whoever sits as President—past, present, or future—must be spared from the indignity of being forced to undergo a drug test. To subject the presidency to such procedures diminishes not just the occupant but the very office itself,” he said.

The Minority Leader reminded that the 1987 Constitution already sets clear qualifications for the presidency, ensuring that only those with proven competence, judgment, and moral fitness can hold the post.

“Our democratic institutions, particularly Congress, must preserve the dignity of the presidency regardless of who occupies it. Undermining that dignity weakens public trust and destabilizes the system we are sworn to protect,” he said.

Libanan warned against trivializing the presidency, saying it could make the Philippines “a laughingstock before the international community".

He further urged lawmakers to focus on pressing national concerns.

“Let us not waste time on distractions. We should be fixing the economy, lowering the cost of living, creating jobs, and protecting our communities from floods and disasters. These are the issues that truly demand leadership—not hollow theatrics,” Libanan concluded.