Tanods, garbage loaders of three Cebu City barangays undergo surprise drug test

Cebu City Office of Substance Abuse Prevention conducts surprise drug test among tanods and garbage loaders of barangays Sawang Calero, Suba and Duljo-Fatima in Cebu City. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

Tanods and garbage loaders of Barangays Sawang Calero, Suba and Duljo-Fatima in Cebu City were made to undergo a surprise drug test by city hall on Wednesday morning.

The testing was conducted by the Cebu City Office of Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP) and supervised by Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak.

“These three barangays were identified as priority because of reports that there are a lot of drug dependents and drug users in these barangays,” said Tumulak, who is the deputy mayor on police matters.

He added that the drug testing is mandated by a city ordinance which requires a yearly testing of barangay workers and city hall employees.

This will also be part of the ongoing evaluation being conducted by the city in relation to a memorandum issued by Mayor Tomas Osmeña suspending the city’s honorarium to barangay tanods and loaders.

As of 11:30 a.m., the drug test is still ongoing and there is still no final list of the number of workers tested.

Duljo Fatima barangay captain Elmer Abella said though that all of their 20 tanods, seven loaders and one driver were present during the test that was conducted at the Cebu City Sports Institute in Barangay Sawang Calero.

For Barangay Suba and Sawang Calero, not all their tanods and loaders were present.

Their respective barangay captains said that some of their workers went to work for their other jobs while some were still doing rounds during the testing, which is why they were not able to participate.

Tumulak said though that those who were not present will still be made to undergo the test in another schedule.