CEBU CITY — At least 14 government employees in the City of Naga and San Fernando, Argao, and Barili towns have been found positive for drug use.
Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office (CPADAO) chief Ivy Durano-Meca said Thursday the surprise drug test on government employees in Naga and the three municipalities was conducted from May 3 to May 22.
Half of those who tested positive for drugs are job order (JO) employees of the local government unit of Barili, where 690 personnel — including 28 policemen and nine members of the Bureau of Fire Protection — were tested on May 21.
Four JOs from the municipality of San Fernando also turned up with positive results along with two from the Argao District Hospital and one JO from Naga. One of the two hospital workers in Argao is a regular employee.
The CPADAO conducted surprise drug testing on 338 employees of San Fernando LGU last May 3, on 91 workers of Argao Hospital on May 15, and on 66 personnel of the City of Naga on May 22.
A surprise drug test was also carried out on 23 members of the Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) last May 10, but all of them turned up negative.
Meca said the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) has authorized CPADAO to carry out the tests on law enforcers which is part of the CPPO’s internal cleansing program.
The random drug testing of government employees and police officers in the different municipalities and cities of Cebu Province will resume next week, Meca added. (Luel Galarpe/PNA)
