46 casual gov’t workers test positive for illegal drug use

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The local government here announced yesterday that 46 job order casual government employees tested positive for illegal drug use.

In a press briefing yesterday, Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez said the figure comprised 8-10 percent of the employees assigned to the Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) and Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) who underwent the surprise drug testing.

Based on the record released by the city’s Public Information Office (PIO), of the 46 that tested positive, 29 were from POSO and 17 were from BTAO.

A total of 370 POSO personnel and 270 BTAO personnel underwent a surprise drug testing from July 28 to August 1.

Benitez said that those who tested positive for the illegal substance will be terminated and will undergo rehabilitation.

“If they turned out to be better and can recover, then they may be reconsidered,” he added.

Benitez said they will check what kind of assistance the city can extend to them.

Benitez said that they will come up with a system to identify all the employees if any of them are either using or engaging in illegal substance.

He said that department heads will also undergo the same testing.

“Para fair sa tanan, we can all undergo public testing. Maybe this will be a call for all public officials to do the same,” the local chief executive said.

Benitez said that it’s proper to do it so that the general public may have the confidence on government servants that they are not involved in illegal substance.

“I’m not sure if it’s allowed or illegal to make it mandatory. But, ideally, everybody should undergo that cause,” he said.

Benitez himself underwent a drug test yesterday, which yielded a negative result.

He recalled that members of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) even initiated drug testing as part of their internal cleansing program.