Nadya calls for drug tests after arrest of RTA enforcer

By LITO RULONA
Correspondent

COUNCILOR Nadya Elipe on Monday called on the Moreno administration to implement mandatory drugs tests at city hall.

Ms. Elipe made the call following the arrest of a Roads and Traffic Administration member during an entrapment operation carried out by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Barangay Bulua last week.

PDEA identified the traffic aide as 34-year old John Michael Vivares of Zone 8, Barangay Bulua. He was the fourth traffic law enforcer arrested during entrapment operations conducted by the PDEA since last year.

Elipe said the arrest of Vivares should prompt city hall to subject local government officials and employees to drug tests.

Elipe expressed disappointment because drug tests have not been made despite a city council resolution that sought such tests to be conducted at city hall. She said the resolution was authored by Councilor Zaldy Ocon.

She said the arrest of the traffic law enforcer should be a compelling reason why the Ocon resolution should be followed.

“Maybe we can do something about it, and talk to PDEA so that it could do the random drug testing at city hall,” Elipe said.

Councilor Romeo Calizo said a memorandum issued by the Civil Service Commission requires all government institutions to make employees undergo drug tests.

Calizo however pointed out that the problem is on the absence of an appropriation for drug tests in city hall’s budget.