Jail officer transferred after failing drug test

Pending investigation and a confirmatory test, the jail officer from the Cebu City Jail who was found positive of illegal drug use will be transferred to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology regional office (BJMP-7).

Cebu City Jail Warden Renante Rubio said that he will pull out the jail officer from his assignment, while waiting for the results of the confirmatory test.

“The jail officer will be assigned to the regional office for observation and investigation. We will not keep this kind of people in the bureau, if mga badlungon (if they are hardheaded). There are still a lot of people who want to join the bureau, especially since salaries will double next year,” he told  Cebu Daily News.

The Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (Cosap) conducted a surprise drug test on 120 jail officers of the Cebu City Jail last Friday afternoon.

Cosap head Garry Lao said the drug test was requested by Rubio two weeks ago, but they decided not to do it right away for it to be a surprise testing. Rubio himself took the drug test also.

Lao added that the drug testing is also mandated by a city ordinance.

During the drug testing, one jail officer was initially found positive of illegal drug use.

“The result is still subject to confirmatory test. If it is confirmed, it will be referred to the legal office of the BJMP for the filing of administrative complaint,” Lao said.

During last Friday’s drug test, 11 jail officers were not present since they had to accompany some inmates who had scheduled court hearings that time.

Ten of them took the test later on – nine last Tuesday and one yesterday.

The last jail officer is yet to take the test, Lao added.