New Cosap chief vows to continue drug tests
22 Cebu City employees cleared of drug use in yesterday’s screening
DESPITE the change in leadership in the Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (Cosap), the spate of surprise drug testings for City Hall and barangay employees will continue.
This was the assurance of newly appointed Cosap chief Garry Lao.
Yesterday, Lao headed another surprise drug test for employees of the Cultural and Historical Affairs Office (CHAO), Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission (CHAC), the Cebu City Public Library and the Cebu City Tourism Office.
Out of the 22 employees from the four division offices that were tested yesterday, none was found positive. However, one employee was absent during the testing.
“As the new Cosap chief, we will continue to facilitate drug testing whether surprise, mandatory or requested. Even if some barangays were already tested last year, we will still continue this year, including the departments in City Hall,” he said.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña appointed Lao as the new head of Cosap, replacing Dr. Alice Utlang, starting last June 1.
Since his assumption, the Cosap has conducted surprise drug tests in the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) last June 1 and in Barangay Kamputhaw last June 7.
Out of the 249 personnel from CCENRO, eight were found positive. On the other hand, out of the 121 workers of Barangay Kamputhaw, 11 were found positive.
“We have already informed the mayor, the concerned office and barangay head, the Human Resource and Development Office (HRDO), and Councilor Dave Tumulak as to who are these employees and workers found positive,” Lao said.
As far as Cosap is concerned, he said their recommendation for casual and job order City Hall employees found positive is termination from work.
Regular City Hall employees found positive will be subject to due process and investigation.
The same is their recommendation for barangay workers.
It will be the mayor and the HRDO that will ultimately decide and enforce the termination of these employees found positive.
“Why are you using drugs when you are working in the government? Our work is service to the people and to the public, then we set a bad example? We have no space in government if we ourselves are drug users,” Lao said.
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