All Normin prosecutors test negative for illegal drugs use

By LITO RULONA
Correspondent

NONE of the prosecutors in Region 10 who were subjected to drug tests tested positive for substance abuse, regional state prosecutor Jaime Umpa announced yesterday.

The prosecutors, 82 of them, submitted themselves to drug tests by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) last week in compliance to the directive of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre in line with the Duterte administration’s so-called war on drugs.

Aguirre wanted all prosecutors in the country tested before year-end.

Umpa said the prosecutors, including him, were cleared by PDEA regional director Adriano Alvariño.

Umpa said 78 prosecutors in the region were initially tested and five others who manned the prosecution offices as “skeletal force” subsequently had themselves examined.

“We should be the first to undergo drug tests. I already informed Secretary Aguirre regarding the result, and he was very happy that all tested negative,” he said.

Prosecutors in Northern Mindanao was the third regional office of prosecutors to comply with Aguirre’s order. The first was the Regional State Prosecutor’s Office in Luzon, followed by Region 11’s. None tested positive for drug use.

“Nagpasabot nga kita nagtinarong ang atong mga membro. Walay nagagamit og kinahanglan ang atong katawhan o emplyedo mosunod tungod kay ang atong mga prosecutors walay nagagamit sa illegal nga droga,” Umpa said.

In Misamis Oriental, members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan headed by Vice Gov. Jose Mari Pelaez also submitted to drug tests, and all of them tested negative. The drug tests however were conducted by a provate company, and not by the PDEA.