The 50 police officers took their surprise drug tests at Camp Sotero Cabahug where the headquarters of Cebu City Police Office is located. | CCPO photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – A police in Cebu City failed to pass a surprise drug test that was conducted on Thursday morning, November 12.
Police Colonel Josefino Ligan, director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), announced in a press briefing on Thursday that the drug tests were done in line with the new leadership of the Philippine National Police (PNP) under Police General Debold Sinas.
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Ligan said 50 police officers underwent the drug test which was held at Camp Sotero Cabahug, Cebu City, and that one of them tested positive.
However, the CCPO official said the results were sent to a laboratory for further confirmatory findings.
“We have found out one who tested positive but he contested the result. The results were sent to a lab for confirmatory and as of now, we’re waiting for the confirmatory results,” Ligan said in Cebuano.
He added that the police officer in question, who was assigned in San Nicolas Police Station (Police Station 6), is currently under their custody in Camp Sotero Cabahug.
If the confirmatory results would show that he tested positive for illegal drug use, Ligan said the policeman could face sanctions and possibly, dismissal from service.
“He will be relieved if the results (are) confirmed and he could face administrative cases as well as possible dismissal from service as a sanction,” explained Ligan.
The CCPO is targeting to screen around 560 out of their 1,020 police officers for possible drug use before 2020 ends.
Ligan said this was their part in complying with recent pronouncements by Sinas who earlier said that he would be focusing internal cleansing among the ranks in the PNP, among others, as the new PNP chief. /dbs
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