Busay captain finally submits to drug test

Busay barangay Captain Amilo Lopez (CDN FILE PHOTO)

After two days and a threat to be sued, Busay Barangay Captain Amilo Lopez has finally submitted himself to a drug test yesterday afternoon.

Lopez showed up at past 3 p.m. at the office of Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, who said a few hours earlier that the city would recommend filing an administrative complaint against Lopez on Monday if he still would not undergo the drug test.

“I was convinced by Councilor Dave. He told me that if I don’t take the test, I might be sued administratively. I just asked for the condition that he will witness the testing,” Lopez said yesterday.

Lopez took the test yesterday at 4 p.m. at the Sawang Calero Sports Complex, where a drug testing was also conducted by the Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (Cosap) for employees of Barangay Sawang Calero.

Tumulak, who is the deputy mayor on police matters, Sawang Calero Barangay Captain Ariel Yburan and a Cosap representative witnessed the drug testing of Lopez.

In an earlier press conference at around noon yesterday, Tumulak said they were already supposed to bring the matter to the City Legal Office for the possible filing of an administrative complaint against Lopez after the latter refused to take the surprise drug testing originally scheduled last Wednesday.

Lopez would have been facing violation of City Ordinance No. 2434, which mandates all City Hall employees and officials, and barangay employees and officials to submit themselves to surprise drug tests to be conducted by Cosap.

“This is a strong signal for those City Hall employees, barangay officials and workers who refuse to have a drug test. The Cebu City government is serious in this issue. We will file a case against those who refuse,” Tumulak said.

But while the filing of the complaint did not push through, the Cosap already reported the refusal of Lopez to the Mambaling Police Station early afternoon yesterday. This was the prior step for the supposed filing of a criminal complaint.

According to Gilbert Mata, Cosap administrative aide and in-charge of the drug testing, it was reported to the Mambaling Police Station which has jurisdiction over the Senior Citizens building in South Road Properties (SRP), where the Cosap conducted a surprise drug test to 57 barangay captains.

Another drug testing was conducted on Thursday for the 22 other barangay captains who were not present last Wednesday. Lopez was the last one to take the test, according to Cosap.

But even with his testing yesterday, Cosap head Dr. Alice Utlang said she will not honor the result of the test of Lopez since two days have already passed since the original schedule was done.

Lopez refused to join the Wednesday schedule, saying he still has a phobia and trauma from what happened last year wherein he was found positive and it was even disclosed to the public. But later on, after a confirmatory test, he was found to be negative.

For Tumulak, though, he said that he will honor the testing of Lopez and that the city will not push through with filing a complaint against him.