CCTO chief: 10 traffic enforcers test positive for drugs, may lose jobs
Racquel Arce, Cebu City Transportation Office head | Screen grab from Niña Mae Oliverio video
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Ten personnel of the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) may face possible removal after testing positive in a drug test, the head of CCTO confirmed.
Raquel Arce, the CCTO head, said that she initially received the report from Jonah John Rodriguez, the head of the City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP).
READ: CCTO targets overcrowded PUVs in Cebu City with penalties up to P1,000
CCTO chief: It was informal communication yet
While it was still an “informal” communication from the COSAP head, Arce said that Rodriguez, in his personal capacity, determined the positive employees.
The positive personnel were identified as casual and job order (JO) workers, Arce said.
READ: Drug test on Lapu-Lapu traffic enforcers yield negative results
Still unofficial, informal talk
“Wala pa nako sila ipatawag kay wala pay official. Mura man gud to informal talk namo ni Jonah. Wala pa gyud siyay letterhead from COSAP [Cebu City Office of Substance Abuse and Prevention]. But duna gyuy positibo,” she said on Wednesday, December 5.
(I still had not called to meet them because there is no official report on it yet. What Jonah and I had was just like an informal talk, There is no letterhead from Cosap [Cebu City Substance Abuse and Prevention] yet. But there are really who tested positive.)
READ: CCTO urged to move loading, unloading area of minibuses to SRP
Confirmatory testing
Furthermore, the 10 employees who tested positive will undergo confirmatory testing.
If confirmed, the recommendation for their removal from service will be made not by Arce but by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.
“As soon as makareceive kos [formal] communication, basta ang akong recommendation is out of service. But usbon nako, dili man ko mayor, but ang akong recommendation is out of service,” Arce said.
November 28 drug tests
(As soon as I can receive the [formal] communication, my recommendation will be out of service. But I will repeat, I am not a mayor, but my recommendation is out of service.)
Last November 28, a surprise drug testing was carried out on the 600 personnel of CCTO, causing traffic congestion in certain areas of Cebu City.
Arce said that personnel testing positive of illegal drugs would be recommended for dismissal.
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