Starstruck?s popular talents led by Mark Herras and Iwa Moto yesterday turned up for voluntary drug tests at the National Police headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno welcomed the group that included Rainier Castillo, Ryza Cenon and other showbiz youth, commending their support to the Arroyo administration?s ?relentless war? against illegal drugs.

?They have volunteered themselves to be role models,? he said. ?They showed they are drug-free and encouraged all students to subject themselves to random drug testing.?

Also in the batch of talents belonging to the GMA-7 Talent Center were Mike Tan, Kevin Santos, Gino de la Pe?a, Victor Aliwalas, Paulo Avelino, Prince Stefan and Kaye Alipio.

?I call on the other teen performers to emulate the example set by Herras and the other actors who volunteered to undertake the tests,? Puno said.

He said Mrs. Arroyo had ?taken a personal interest? in the war against narcotics after learning of the 2008 report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime showing that the Philippines remained a significant producer, consumer and transit center of shabu or methamphetamine hydrochloride in the region despite the government?s gains in the campaign against illegal drugs.

Random testing was piloted on Wednesday in certain high schools and colleges amid mixed reactions.

While rights groups harped on privacy, other sectors pressed for the drug check at a time when police intelligence reports showed that Ecstacy, which is catching usage among the students and young professionals, fetched P750 per pill, shabu at P8,000 to P10,000 per gram or P60 to P100 per sachet, and marijuana at P30 to P50 per stick.

?The objective is not punitive but preventive. The students? confidentiality is assured and anyone testing positive can be rescued in time for counselling and rehabilitation,? said Vicente Sotto III, chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board.

He cited the Supreme Court decision in Social Justice Society vs DDB promulgated last year, finding random drug test in schools constitutional. Romie A. Evangelista