Senator Robinhood Padilla’s office confirmed it has accepted the resignation of Political Affairs Officer Nadine “Nadia” Montenegro following reports linking her to alleged marijuana use inside Senate premises.
Padilla’s chief of staff, lawyer Rudolf Philip Jurado, said they received Montenegro’s written explanation and resignation letter dated Aug. 15. “Her resignation has been accepted,” he said.
In her letter, Montenegro strongly denied the accusations, calling them “unfounded” and “maliciously shared to the media.” She clarified that she was carrying only a grape-flavored vape and not marijuana.
“I denied smoking or using marijuana inside the comfort room… If only this Honorable Office will secure the CCTV footages, it can be vividly established that I even showed him said vape,” she said.
Montenegro said the controversy has subjected her family to ridicule, prompting her resignation “for the sake of my mental health and the welfare of my children.” She stressed, however, that stepping down should not be seen as an admission of guilt but rather as “a demonstration of my deep respect for the Senate and Senator Padilla’s office.”
She also urged the Senate to look into how incident reports are being leaked to the media.
The official report noted that on Aug. 12, a Senate security officer was alerted to an “unusual odor” in a comfort room near the Senators’ extension offices. The officer claimed the smell resembled marijuana and said Montenegro was the only person present at the time.