An incident report filed on August 13 has drawn attention to an alleged marijuana-related incident inside the Senate building in Pasay City, involving a certain “Nadia Montenegro.” The report, prepared by Senate security personnel Victor Patelo, stated that a staff member from Senator Panfilo Lacson’s office approached him to complain about an “unusual odor” coming from the ladies’ comfort room near the Senators’ extension offices on the 5th floor.
According to Patelo, the staff member claimed the smell was similar to marijuana and said that the only person present in the area at the time was allegedly Ms. Nadia Montenegro. Acting on the request to address the matter discreetly, Patelo said he approached Montenegro as she passed by his post.
“Ms. Montenegro denied smoking inside the comfort room or using marijuana,” Patelo noted in his report. “However, she admitted carrying a vape in her bag, which she suggested might have been the source of the scent noticed earlier.”
Senator Robin Padilla’s chief of staff, Atty. Rudolf Philip Jurado later confirmed that former actress Nadia Montenegro is currently working in their office. Jurado said their team had already requested Montenegro to submit a written explanation following earlier reports about the alleged incident.
“Let’s first listen to our employee to see if this is true,” Jurado said in a phone interview. He explained that Montenegro has been given five days to submit its account of the incident. Another memorandum was issued on Thursday after the formal incident report was forwarded by the Senate Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) to OSAA Police Major Gen. Mao Aplasca.
Jurado suggested that the matter may have been blown out of proportion, calling it a “classic example of fake news” when comparing the official incident report to some media narratives.
For his part, Aplasca confirmed that his office has already submitted an investigation report to the Office of the Senate President (OSP) for appropriate action.
While no formal charges have been filed, the incident has sparked conversations about workplace conduct inside government buildings and the importance of verifying facts before concluding. The Senate continues to investigate, with results expected after Montenegro’s written explanation is reviewed.
The controversy comes as the Senate also observed a solemn moment this week, with the Philippine flag flown at half-mast in honor of the late former senator and human rights lawyer Rene Saguisag.