Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella (right) and Councilor Dave Tumulak submit their urine samples during a drug test at City Hall. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
THE 169 people who undertook the surprise drug test during yesterday’s regular session of the Cebu City Council were found negative of using drugs.
Dr. Alice Utlang, Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (Cosap) head, told Cebu Daily News that the results of the test showed that none was found positive for drug use.
Those who took the tests were the 17 Cebu City councilors, Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, 8 people from the media, and 143 staff members of the councilors.
“Based on our city ordinance, there are two mandatory drug testing for elective officials and employees yearly. This is the first one for this year. This is mandatory but surprise. There will still be more testing but I won’t say when,” Utlang told reporters yesterday.
She added that she made sure that elective officials will also be subjected to the drug testing so that it won’t be unfair to City Hall employees who have been tested as well.
Utlang said they will also be conducting the drug test for Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and the rest of the officials and employees of the executive department.
Under the city ordinance requiring officials and employee to undergo drug tests, those found initially positive will be subjected to confirmatory tests.
If still found positive, they will be referred to the Human Resource Development Office (HRDO) for action.
Elective officials found positive will be referred to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Councilor Dave Tumulak, who heads the council’s committee on public order and safety, said that yesterday’s surprise drug test should show that elective officials are one in the campaign against illegal drugs.
“We want to show that we are very serious in fighting illegal drugs. We want to show to the people that the officials of Cebu City are also clean. We want to show that we are sincere and serious,” he said.