A total of 209 personnel from the CCDRRMO underwent a surprise drug test inside the Tinago Barangay Gym last October 22, 2020. | Photo courtesy of Ramil Ayuman
CEBU CITY, Philippines — At least 20 workers from Cebu City offices and barangays failed the surprise drug tests conducted by the City Office of the Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP) in the past week.
Jonah John Rodriguez, the head of COSAP, told CDN Digital that these individuals are either casual employees or job order employees, who could lose their jobs due to the results.
Read: 3 Cebu City Hall workers fail drug test, face sanctions
Still, they will undergo confirmatory drug tests to identify possible false-positive results on the surprise test. Afterward, the city government and the barangays will decide on their contracts.
Of the 20 workers, four are from the city government with a newly hired employee undergoing orientation from the Human Resource and Development Office (HRDO) and three from the Local School Board (LSB).
Read: Cebu City Local School Board employee, HVI, 2 others nabbed with P170K shabu
The other 16 are barangay workers with seven coming from Sambag I, four from Kalunasan, two from Ermita, and three from Hipodromo.
The barangay workers who proved positive for the presence of drugs in their bloodstream range from various positions including loaders, tandos, lupons, health workers, and waterway system workers.
“For the barangays, we already advised that they can be removed, but it is still up to the barangay chief,” said Rodriguez.
And based on the response of the barangay chiefs, these workers will be removed from service.
Mayor Edgardo Labella said in a phone interview on November 5, 2020, said that all workers who fail the drug test will be removed from service.
Only regular employees will go through a long process because of their tenure. For regular employees, the City Legal Office will open a probe on the employee before officially removing them from service
“We will not tolerate drugs in the city government. We will admonish them. They have to go,” said Labella.
The mayor said he will also urge all barangay chiefs to remove those who failed the drug test so as to keep all government units drug-free. /rcg