City hall to hold drug testing within the week

By LITO RULONA
Correspondent /

The joint committee on Police, Fire, and Public Safety; Health and Sanitation and Finance has chosen the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Cadac) to hold a surprise mandatory drug testing of all city hall elected and appointed officials, rank and file employees, casuals and job orders.

This was disclosed by City Councilor Romeo Calizo on Monday that the three committees have finally approved the holding of an anannounced mandatory drug testing to all city hall employees.

In an interview, Calizo said they are expecting about 5,259 rank and file, including casual, employees.

“We are changing the event from mandatory drug testing to surprise mandatory drug testing,” he said.

Initial budget of the drug test is P1.2 million to pay all the laboratory expenses operated by PDEA and Cadac.

PDEA agents only need one specimen bottle for a mandatory drug test and another specimen bottle for confirmatory drug test.

Calizo said initially they agreed to hold the mandatory drug testing within the week to avoid other drug users or drug dependents to do some extra anti-drug body exercises to be able to  clear from the date of the testing.

“Cadac, PDEA and Cocpo will do the planning, the city government will produce the budget for the drug tests and Cadac will facilitate the actual testing,” he added.

Calizo said as soon as the budget will be released to pay for the laboratory procedure, he himself will volunteer to have the first drug test, along with his city council staff.

“Kana gyung tininuod nga drug test para makita sa tanan,” he said.

He said those who would test positive on the conducted mandatory drug testing will immediately be subjected for removal from government service.

“Of course, due process will (afforded) to all,” Calizo said.