3 City Hall employees to undergo rehab for drug use

CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Cebu City Office of the Substance Abuse Protection (COSAP) said that three regular City Hall employees have tested positive in the confirmatory tests for drug use. 

Jonah John Rodriguez, the head of COSAP, told CDN Digital, said the employees came from the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW), Office of the City Accountant (OCA), and the City Health Department (CHD). 

The COSAP refused to name the employees for their protection. 

Unlike casual and job-order city employees, who immediately face dismissal upon proving positive to drug use, tenured employees are given a longer process before they are dismissed.

The three tenured employees have been given a chance to contest the findings within 15 days, but two of them expressed no desire to do so while the other has yet to appear before the City Legal Office.

Rodriguez said that the employees will undergo Drug Dependency Examinations to determine their level of drug use and dependency. 

Afterwards, they will undergo a 6-month rehabilitation under the COSAP. 

Rodriguez said they have yet to decide if the three will be suspended from working while undergoing rehabilitation. 

“If dili sila magtinarong sa rehab, ipadismiss na gyod nato sila. (If they do not go through the rehab properly, we will recommend their dismissal),” warned Rodriguez. 

Rodriguez said this serves as a warning to other city hall employees that are still undetected from using drugs. 

He said the COSAP will continue its crackdown on drug users in the City Hall to clean the government from illegal drugs.  /bmjo