All W. Visayas cops to undergo drug test

By Jennifer P. Rendon

 

No exemption.

Police brigadier generals to patrolman under Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 will undergo mandatory drug testing.

Brigadier General Rolando Miranda, Western Visayas police chief, announced during a staff conference on Monday that all 13,000 PRO-6 personnel will be subjected to the test.

Miranda said they initially procured 8,500 drug testing kits.

Additional kits will be bought to complete the test, which will be administered by the Regional Crime Laboratory Office 6.

“Internal Cleansing will start here in the mandatory drug test,” Miranda said.

He said that the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division (RIDMD) was tasked to supervise the mandatory drug test on PNP personnel.

The testing will be scheduled by the regional headquarters to ensure that all personnel are tested.

“Those who will fail to have themselves tested as scheduled will face administrative charge,” Miranda warned.

During his assumption, Miranda said that one of his priorities as PRO-6 director is to push for the PNP Revitalized Internal Cleansing Program.

He vowed to wage a relentless campaign against illegal drugs and part of his strategy is regular drug testing of police officers “so that I will have peace of mind na ang ating alagad ng batas ang mga pulis sa Western Visayas ay hindi nagkakaroon ng problema sa ilegal na droga.”

All cops who will be assigned to the anti-illegal drugs campaign will undergo proper vetting process to ensure “stainless” integrity.

Initially, anti-narcotics cops undergo mandatory drug test while others would be subjected to targeted drug testing.

The targeted testing was aimed at personnel who are suspected drug users.

But Miranda’s new order scrapped the targeted drug testing and, instead, would adopt the mandatory drug testing on all personnel.

Miranda stressed that personnel who will test positive for illegal drug use may face charges for grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer, which are grounds for dismissal from service.