Former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who used profanity to describe the classification of cannabis as a dangerous drug, argues that its legalization would generate revenues for the government
A House panel for the first time in the 19th Congress under the Marcos administration took up a bill seeking to decriminalize the production, sale, and use of cannabis in the Philippines.
The lower chamber’s dangerous drugs committee chaired by Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte’s 2nd District moved to form a technical working group (TWG) with the health committee to flesh out the bill filed by former House Speaker and current Davao del Norte 1st District Representative Pantaleon Alvarez.
In his speech, Alvarez used colorful language to describe the current state of cannabis in the country.
“The classification of cannabis and its derivatives, as a dangerous drug, is bullsh*t. It makes no sense at all. And we must correct this absurdity,” he said on Tuesday, February 21.
“If the government allows harmful products like alcoholic beverages, cancer-causing cigarettes, and diabetes-bringing sugary drinks, why can’t we decriminalize the production and sale of a substance that is less harmful, has many benefits, and can be a source of government revenue?” Alvarez said.
The former House leader also argued that legalizing marijuana in the Philippines would generate wealth that the government can use for its programs and projects.
“We can decriminalize cannabis and its derivatives, and we can collect billions worth of taxes from its production and sale. We can use the added revenues to build more roads and bridges, more classrooms and hospitals, and more public service in pursuit of the common good. We can also use the extra taxes collected to help our country pay for our deep debt brought on by the economic crisis during the pandemic,” Alvarez said.
What the bill says
Republic Act No. 9165, also known as the amended Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, lists cannabis as a dangerous drug and substance.
Individuals convicted of cultivating marijuana, and possessing 10 grams of marijuana resin or marijuana resin oil, as well as 500 grams or more of marijuana, face a fine of up to P10 million and life imprisonment.
Alvarez’s proposal,House Bill No. 6783, seeks to exclude cannabis, cannabis resin and extracts, and tinctures of cannabis from the list.
Batanes Representative Ciriaco Gato expressed concern that the delisting of cannabis would pave the way for the recreational use of marijuana.
“I am thinking that while alcohol and tobacco are really bad, marijuana is also bad. As to which is more harmful, I think it depends on the amount,” Gato said, arguing that a variety of cannabis has negative effects. “Marijuana just like alcohol has some effects from a medical and social standpoint.”
The dangerous drugs committee also seeks to conduct further review on the subject.
“I would like to listen first to the opinions of all the members, and opinions of the experts,” Barbers told Rappler when asked whether he would back the measure and eventually defend it at the House plenary.
“A lot of discussions will have to be made because if the proponent’s intention is to delist it, there must be some basis as to why he wants to delist it,” he said. “Before we pursue the idea of making it available for sale, it has to be delisted [from the list of dangerous drugs].”
Aside from the bill filed by Alvarez, there are also multiple bills referred to the health committee seeking to legalize medical marijuana.
That panel has yet to take up such measures, chairman Gato told Rappler, but he said he is in favor of medical, regulated marijuana.
The House, led by then-Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in the 17th Congress,already approved a billseeking to legalize medical marijuana, but the proposal languished in the Senate. The lower chamber in the 18th Congress, however, failed to move past the TWG level.– Rappler.com
And Today’s Mass CCC Drama Is… plot to “take out” O’Brien as punishment for investigating serious allegations of cover-ups, abuse and misconduct within the agency.
I do hope there is a Netflix scriptwriter following his posts – all this would make a perfect update to Parks & Recreation or The Office..
Here’s a taste of the latest episode
In shocking development, former Massachusetts CCC Chair Shannon O’Brien alleges State Treasurer Deb Goldberg violated court order in an attempt to keep secret details about a plot within the CCC to “take out” O’Brien as punishment for investigating serious allegations of cover-ups, abuse and misconduct within the agency.
Furthermore, say O’Brien’s lawyers, Goldberg attempted to spread this incorrectly redacted document to the press in an attempt to obfuscate the serious allegations directed at CCC staff (and currently being hidden from the public by way of these risky redactions).
A section of Thursday’s motion from former CCC Chair Shannon O’Brien, alleging violations of a court order by State Treasurer Deb Goldberg. (Released via MassCourts, 2/13/25)
O’Brien, in turn, is asking the court to order the entire document unsealed for pubic review as a sanction for Goldberg violating the court’s specific instructions as to redactions.
“Given the nature of the underlying proceedings, and the asserted bases for Plaintiff’s removal as Chair of the CCC, the Court is, frankly, skeptical that the administrative record itself is likely to contain a significant amount of protected personal information that satisfied the narrow definition of same under SJC Rule 1:24,” said judge Robert B. Gordan (who is specially assigned to the matter) in a prior ruling instructing Goldberg as to how to go about filing the redacted document in question. Read more background about that ruling here – https://www.patreon.com/posts/121109593
A section of the original court order that O’Brien alleges Goldberg violated. (Released via MassCourts, 1/30/25)
Then, in a strong, rebuke to Goldberg, Judge Gordon went on to say, …[T]he Treasurer has not identified, and the Court has not located, any case authority suggesting that an administrative record filed in the context of a review under G.L.c. 249 Section 4 or G.C.c. 30A is subject to the broader strictures of [the Fair Information Practices Act/FIPA], to claims of attorney-client privileges asserted after the subject information was disclosed in an administrative proceeding, or to a privet promised of confidentiality that a governmental agency may have extended to a complaining employee, such as would justify impoundment or redaction of the administrative record on those grounds.”
In turn, Goldberg’s shocking decision to attempt to hide most of the document in question from public view may well draw the ire of the court upon review thereof.
A hearing on the matter has been requested, but not yet scheduled, in Suffolk Superior Court.
’Brien alleges that a group of CCC staff members –attempting to cover up serious allegations of abuse, misconduct and corruption– “took out” O’Brien with pre-textual smears after she attempted to reform the beleaguered regulatory juggernaut.
Goldberg, O’Brien further alleges, is attempting to hide documents related to O’Brien’s suspension (and eventual dismissal) that may show a plot by Nurys Camargo, Shawn Collins, Cedric Sinclair and other CCC personnel to “take out” O’Brien with pretextual allegations of misconduct. Those documents are currently being kept private by Goldberg’s office because of the explosive allegations of misconduct (directed at some of Goldberg’s friends/allies) included therein.
After eight months of work and with the fantastic support of over 200 volunteers, the submitted samples were tested for biological components, pesticides, and other drugs.* And the results were shocking: Out of more than 300 samples tested, only around 20 percent were classified as safe and clean products. The majority of the remaining 80 percent contained traces of substances such as human and animal feces, Covid-19, and influenza viruses. We also found traces of cocaine, ketamine, crystal meth, MDMA, and even compounds from hairspray, as well as traces of toxic pesticides that are classified as illegal in Europe.
Worst test results in Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich
How the individual cities performed in the study is shown in the following overview, listed in descending order from most to least contaminated samples from 30 German cities and 20 other European metropolises.
*Please see below for detailed information on the analysis methodology.
With a vote on Tuesday by Virginia’s House of Delegates, both chambers of the legislature have now passed bills that would legalize and regulate recreational marijuana sales in the commonwealth.
House members voted 53–46 to approve HB 2485, from Del. Paul Krizek (D), which would allow adults 21 and older to purchase up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana from regulated, state-licensed retailers. The vote comes after the Senate last week approved companion legislation, SB 970, from Sen. Aaron Rouse (D).
Each bill now proceeds to the opposite chamber for consideration there.