An employee of the Mandaue City government submits his urine sample during the random drug tests conducted last January 4, 2022. | CDN Digital file photo
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — A total of 10 Mandaue City government employees have tested positive for illegal drugs during a surprise drug test made on January 4, 2021.
Mandaue City Councilor Nerissa Soon-Ruiz, focal person of the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council, said on Monday, January 10, that eight of these were from the Department of General and Services (DGS) while the two others were from the Mandaue City Environment and Natural Resources Office (MCENRO).
Ruiz said a total of 450 DGS employees and 65 MCENRO employees were tested during the random drug test.
Ruiz said they were still waiting for the certification from the private company, who conducted the drug test if there were confirmed positive among the eight employees who subjected themselves to the confirmatory test.
She said two personnel did not undergo the confirmatory test which would be called and would be asked to explain.
Those who will yield positive results during the confirmatory test will undergo due process and will undergo rehabilitation.
Ruiz admitted that she was frustrated with the outcome of the tests.
Ruiz added she was frustrated because there were personnel who also tested positive during last years’ drug tests.
Seven personnel from the City Health Office, Emergency Operations Center, and Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office tested positive for illegal drug use from a surprise drug test conducted on November 16, 2021.
Early of last year, four personnel from the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue have also tested for illegal drugs.
“It is very frustrating kay sige ta’g awhag sa mga kabarangayan nga dili ta mugamit (illegal drugs), unya diri sa atoang tugkaran naa pa diay gihapon ba. Ang mga tawo labi na empleyado sa city, they are taken seriously, maong we will have more drug testing,” said Ruiz.
(It is frustrating because we have always reminded the barangays not to use illegal drugs and yet here in our backyard we have these people. The personnel especially employees of the city they are taken seriously, that is why we wil have more drug testing.)
“Ako lang warning sa mga empleyado sa Mandaue City government nga pagtinarong mo kay si Mayor di gyud baya musugot nga adunay positive drug user nga anaa dinhi sa ato nagtrabaho. We are very strict on this, mao nang sige tas atoang mga random drug testing sa mga empleyado sa Mandaue City government,” Ruiz added.
(I am warning the Mandaue City government employees to be good employees because the mayor would not allow any positive drug user to work here. We are very strict on this, that is wny we are strict on our employees with regard to the random drug testing.)
Ruiz said that this time no employee tried to tamper with their urine specimen.
It can be recalled during last November’s drug testing, three employees tried to cheat and submitted water instead of a urine sample.
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