GINGOOG City Mayor Marie Guingona over the weekend lashed out at Councilor Marlon Kho over what she called as his “ignorant” comments, and assertion that she is the only official in the city who has not undergone a drug test. Guingona said Kho did not check his facts. Chief Insp. Joseph Esber, head of the Scene of the Crime Operatives (Soco) in Gingoog, said that on the contrary, Guingona “was actually the first one government official/employee whom we conducted a drug test on,” and that the mayor “willingly submitted to the test” based on Executive Order no. 5 series of 2016, implementing mandatory random drug testing of all city hall officers and  employees. Guingona issued the order at the beginning of her new term. The Soco-Gingoog tested Guingona on July 26, 2016. It was a surprise drug test on city hall  officials and employees. This was confirmed  by Chief Insp. Espiridion Biado III, Gingoog’s acting chief  of police, who filed an “After Activity Report” with Camp Alagar shortly after the drug tests. Esber said, “Mayor  Guingona tested negative for drugs.” Earlier, Kho alleged that Guingona was the only local official who has yet to be tested. But  according to Esber, Guingona was tested weeks before the city council members, along with  Kho, were tested on Aug. 10, 2016. City hall said the results of the tests were not yet released at presstime. “Councilor Kho should have cooperated in our anti-illegal drug campaign so that he will not embarrass himself with his ignorant comments.  It is very disappointing considering his  position in the city government,” Guingona said. Almost 2,700 self-admitted drug users and  pushers have already “surrendered” under the Magpakabana Gingoog para sa Kabag-uhan (MGK) Program, a barangay-based intervention for drug dependents organized by Guingona, according to Chief Insp. Biado. MGK Program is a community-based intervention program for the “surrenderers” who are made to undergo exercises for their rehabilitation. There are currently 32 clusters organized all  over the city to implement this program. “The police are glad that the mayor created this program. Otherwise, we  would not know what to do with the huge number of surrenderers,” he said. Guingona said, “We have always been standing strong against the illegal drug trade and criminality, and we are glad that we now have a new national administration with whom we have a shared  vision on putting an end to this scourge. We are very hopeful that our nation will succeed in this fight because of the strong leadership shown by President Duterte.” She also added that what is needed now is the full participation of all the sectors in the city. “This fight should be above politics, because what is at stake is the future of our nation. Injecting politics into this fight is against the interest of the people,” Guingona said.