MANILA, Philippines – Escorted by no less than the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), actor Jeffrey “Epy” Quizon took a drug test on Friday, 28, at the Camp Crame Crime Laboratory in Quezon City. 

The 43-year-old actor was accompanied by fellow actor Cesar Montano inside the PNP headquarters, where they met with PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa.

“At the office of Chief PNP BATO and Epy. Ang yabang ni Epy about to take drug test being escorted by Chief PNP pa (Epy’s cocky because he’s about to take the drug test and is being escorted by the chief of the PNP),” said Montano is a Facebook post. 

The two actors also had lunch at Dela Rosa’s office at the PNP National Headquarters before eventually taking the drug test. 

“Voluntarily, magpapa-check po siya kung siya ay negative, drug test po (He’s voluntarily taking a drug test to prove that it’s negative),” said Montano in a live Facebook video taken as Quizon was filling out the forms for the drug test. 

He added: “Ang tunay po matagal na siyang tumigil pero gusto niya lang linisin sa isip ng mga tao… na clean na siya, matagal na po. At gusto niya pong maging mabuting testimony para sa lahat na drugs is not good for you.”

(The truth is, he’s long stopped taking drugs but he wants to make it clear to everyone that he’s long been clean. And he wants to be a good testimony for everyone that drugs is not good for you.) 

Quizon’s Camp Crame visit comes days after the PNP announced that it had submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte a list of celebrities who are supposedly users of illegal drugs. The list, which contains 54 names, was drafted by the police based on information from the intelligence community. 

Police had earlier teased that the list included a famous television host. They have, however, declined to release the list, pointing out that its release will be up to Duterte himself. 

Also on Friday, Dela Rosa was set to meet with Rez Cortez, Actor’s Guild president. Cortez had earlier called on authorities not to make the list public.  

Montano is a known supporter of Duterte and even joined the Philippine contingent when Duterte visited China. He said he was there for business meetings. 

Since assuming power, Duterte has waged a “war on drugs” nationwide. Barely a month into office, Duterte named 5 retired and active generals with supposed links to illegal drugs.

Not long after, Duterte read aloud a list of politicians, police personnel, and members of the judiciary with supposed ties to illegal drugs.

One of them, Mayor Samsudin Dimaukom of Datu Saudi Ampatuan town, Maguindanao, was shot dead in an alleged shootout with state operatives early Friday morning in North Cotabato.

As of the 4th week of October 2016, there have been over 4,700 deaths, both from legitimate police operations and vigilante-style or unexplained killings. (READ: IN NUMBERS: The Philippines’ war on drugs) – Rappler.com