Manila: The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) has formally requested the Supreme Court (SC) to reject a petition aimed at compelling President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to disclose his medical records and undergo a hair follicle drug test. The OSG submitted a 23-page comment to the high court, asserting that the petition is a baseless inquiry and should be decisively denied.

According to Philippines News Agency, the OSG argued that the petition directly challenges the doctrine of presidential immunity, making it inherently flawed. The comment emphasized that the requested coercive writ targets the incumbent President, who is protected from legal suits during his term, ensuring the President's duties remain uninterrupted.

The petition was filed by Pantaleon Alvarez, Virgilio R. Garcia, Juan C. Ra±a, and Raymundo L. Junio. In its response, the OSG highlighted the protection provided by Republic Act No. 10173, or the Data Privacy Act of 2012, which classifies health-related information as sensitive and only processable under specific circumstances.

Furthermore, the OSG stated that the petitioners lack the legal standing necessary for a taxpayer suit, as such a suit requires the involvement of public funds being unlawfully spent or an unconstitutional tax measure. The OSG clarified that the alleged non-disclosure of the President's health status is unrelated to financial matters and does not represent the misuse of public funds as defined by the rule.