307 anti-drug cops undergo mandatory drug test

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) here is conducting a monthly mandatory drug test on 307 personnel assigned as anti-illegal drug operatives.

Police Lieutenant Judesses Catalogo, Nocppo public information officer, said these personnel are part of the drug enforcement teams of the 31 police stations in the province.

The monthly test is part of the internal cleansing policy of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to ensure that policemen, particularly those assigned in the war against illegal drugs, are not engaging in the said illegal activity.

Of the 307, Catalogo said 105 underwent drug testing since Tuesday, Sept. 20. The results are expected to be released next week, he added.

The Provincial Crime Laboratory is conducting the drug test every month.

Aside from the said personnel, 52 other personnel assigned at the provincial headquarters here will also be randomly picked to undergo a drug test.

Catalogo said that those who will be subjected to a drug test cannot refuse or else they will be asked to submit a written explanation or may face an administrative case if their explanation is not valid.

In case a personnel tests positive for drug use, he or she will be subjected to a confirmatory test while he is under restrictive custody.

If the officer tests positive in the confirmatory test, he or she may face an administrative case and may be dismissed from the police service.

If the officer refuses to undergo a confirmatory test, he or she will be moved to the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (RPHAU)-6 in Iloilo City.