Ermita officials, workers undergo surprise drug test

MORE than a hundred officials and workers of Barangay Ermita were made to undergo a surprise drug test, Tuesday morning, by the Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (Cosap).

Cosap announced the surprise drug tests after holding a reorientation of the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (Badac) and the role of village officials and workers in the campaign against illegal drugs.

According to Cosap head Garry Lao, none of the barangay officials including Barangay Captain Felicisimo “Imok” Rupinta was found positive of illegal drug use.

Results of the drug test on the workers will be announced today as Cosap had yet to finish conducting it as of 6 p.m. yesterday.

A total of 138 barangay officials and workers were made to undergo the surprise drug tests.

“Gi-surprise nato ang drug test. Way eskapo, way kuwang. Once naay positive, karon dayon, akong i-out. Part na sa among kampanya batok sa illegal nga drugas. Bati man ng mamadlong ta nya ang atong tugkaran hugaw pa,” Rupinta said.

(The drug test was a surprise. No one was allowed to escape. If a barangay worker is found positive, I will immediately fire the person. That is part of our campaign against illegal drugs. It’s not good if we accost others and yet we our own backyard is dirty.)

Cosap has been conducting Badac reorientations in the city’s 80 barangays. Ermita was the last village to be reoriented.

“The Badac has been there for a long time, but sometimes it is overlooked when it comes to the campaign against illegal drugs. I’m happy that the barangay officials and workers are complete today because we need to inform them of their responsibilities in the campaign against illegal drugs,” Lao said.

Aside from barangay workers, policemen assigned at the Carbon Police Station were also present yesterday.

Chief Insp. Jacinto Mandal, head of the Carbon Police Station, stressed the importance of educating barangay workers about their responsibilities in the campaign against illegal drugs.

Mandal hoped village officials and workers will help strengthen their community intelligence network.

“People can also report to the Badac and the Badac will report to us information about illegal drugs and we will conduct monitoring and surveillance. After that, we will try to convince them to stop as they are identified by the Badac as drug pushers. If they don’t listen, that’s when we conduct raids,” Mandal said.

The Badac has been empowered to take in drug surrenderers, conduct intervention and initiate their rehabilitation with the help of Cosap.

Mandal said that the presence of illegal drugs in Ermita has notably dropped although he did not discount the possibility of new drug personalities going into the barangay.