Questions about actress Nadia Montenegro‘s qualifications as a staff for Sen. Robin Padilla, an actor-turned-politician, were raised following the discovery of her salary grade.
On Monday, August 18, Padilla’s office said that it had received Nadia’s written explanation and her resignation letter from her post as Political Affairs Officer VI, following allegations of her marijuana use in the Senate.
Nadia explained that she resigned for the sake of her mental health and the welfare of her children.
She also denied allegations that she was the Senate staff named in previous media reports for using marijuana on the premises.
Reports indicated that a staff member from the Office of the Sergeant at Arms (OSAA) and personnel from another senator’s office detected a strange odor resembling marijuana coming from the ladies’ restroom near the Senate’s extension offices.
“That I VEHEMENTLY DENY that I am the staff of the senator mentioned in those articles. There was NO incident wherein a personnel of the OSAA went to our office and found me in the restroom and asked me about the alleged smell of marijuana in the restroom of our office,” Nadia previously said.
Before her resignation, she was reportedly placed on leave while the OSAA conducted its investigation.
Marijuana use is illegal in the Philippines, classified as a dangerous drug with high potential for abuse.
RELATED: Robin Padilla’s staff Nadia Montenegro resigns, denies marijuana use in Senate
Meanwhile, some Filipinos questioned Nadia’s position in Padilla’s office, given that she was on the government payroll.
“So anong qualification ni Nadia Montenegro to be a Political Affairs Officer VI na Salary Grade 24?” an online user wrote, sharing a screengrab of a copy from the website of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
So anong qualification ni Nadia Montenegro to be a Political Affairs Officer VI na Salary Grade 24? https://t.co/mDyBWgcrBA pic.twitter.com/3KaZhM4xcX
— JP 👎👎👎 (@dumidyeypee) August 18, 2025
Nadia is a showbiz personality with a background in cooking.
In 2024, she completed a Basic Citizen Military Course and became a reservist in the Philippine Navy.
Meanwhile, a 2018 document uploaded on the DBM’s website, titled “Index of Classes by Salary Grade,” states that a Political Affairs Officer VI has a Salary Grade 24.
According to the DMB’s National Budget Circular that took effect this year, a Salary Grade 24 is equivalent to P98,185 for Step 1, P99,721 for Step 2, and P101,283 for Step 3.
A political affairs officer, particularly in legislation, is expected to have a background in political affairs to assist the lawmaker in fulfilling duties within the government’s policy-making body.