PRO-6 sacks cop for failing drug test

A police officer in Western Visayas was dismissed from service for flunking a drug test.

Police Corporal Joseph L Vergara is no longer a cop after a case for Conduct Unbecoming of a Police Officer (Use of Illegal Drugs) was filed against him.

This is according to the decision signed by Police Brigadier General Rolando F Miranda, Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 director, on March 26, 2021.

Vergara tested positive for illegal drugs use on December 9, 2020 in one of the random drug testing conducted by PRO-6 as part of the intensified Internal Cleansing program.

His case was forwarded to the Discipline, Law and Order Section (DLOS) of the Regional Personnel and Records Management Division (RPRMD) of PRO-6 on February 18, 2021.

Aside from the case of Conduct Unbecoming of a Police Officer filed against Vergara, a case for Grave Misconduct was also filed against him for Absence Without Official Leave (AWOL) for more than 30 days.

It was learned that Vergara failed to report to duty after receiving the result of his drug test.

Vergara personally received the signed decision on April 9, 2020. He was given 10 working days to file a motion for reconsideration (MR). If he fails to file a motion, a certificate of finality will be issued by the RPRMD confirming his dismissal from the police service.

Vergara’s case is among the four (4) cases which were meted dismissal from police service in the first Quarter of 2021. The three others were charged for Grave Misconduct for committing AWOL for more than 30 days.

Meanwhile, PRO-6 said it resolved 18 administrative cases in the first quarter of 2021.

According to Brig General Miranda, these resolved cases were part of the 22 administrative cases received by the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division (RIDMD) and Regional Internal Affairs Service 6 (RIAS 6).

“This is one of my priorities when I was seated as your RD, to expedite solution of admin cases filed against our personnel. This is to show them that we are serious in our internal cleansing efforts,” Miranda said.

Latest data released by the Discipline Law and Order Section under the office of Regional Personnel and Records Management Division indicated that the 18 cases involved a Police Commissioned Officer and 17 Non-Commissioned Officers.

Four officers were dismissed from the service, six were suspended and one was penalized by forfeiture of salary.

Meanwhile, seven were exonerated from the cases filed against them for lack of merit.

Among the dismissed officers Patrolmen Gregor Catequista, Novie Aron Miranda and Jefferson Moreno for Grave Misconduct for having been on AWOL for more than 30 days.

But the PRO-6 clarified that the data does not include cases filed with the National Police Commission.