9 Capitol staffers test positive for drug use

Nine employees of the Cebu Provincial Government may be dismissed from the service after testing positive in a surprise drug test of 200 workers last Monday.

Most of those who tested positive were outsourced personnel, said Joel Herrera, executive director of the Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CPADAC).

He said the employees will be subjected to confirmatory testing to validate the analysis of urine samples gathered in a test conducted by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) two days ago.

“Definitely, this won’t be the last because there are 1,800 Capitol employees. It will be done all year round,” he told Cebu Daily News.

The names of the employees were withheld until results of the confirmatory tests are out.

Provincial Administrator Mark Tolentino said the Cebu provincial government has the option to “terminate or suspend” outsourced employees found using drugs.

If results are verified, the workers will be referred to the province’s Committee on Discipline and Investigation.

“We have the right to dismiss them from office. If they’re working as casual or outsourced employees then we can terminate or suspend them immediately,” he told reporters.

“If ever that happens, my advice to them is to undergo drug rehabiltation. We could give them a second chance if they apply again after rehabilitation.”

The employees, who came from 23 various offices of both the Capitol’s executive and legislative departments, were not informed of the test until PDEA agents arrived on Monday afternoon.

After filling out forms, the employees went to the toilet in groups of two. PDEA agents were posted at the door to ensure that urine samples would not be tampered or switched.

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III and Provincial Board (PB) Member Carmen Durano-Meca also voluntarily undertook the test.