Drugs office chief gets death threat

CEBU, Philippines - Over a month after she assumed as director of the Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office, former Board Member Ivy Durano-Meca has been advised to be vigilant after she received a death threat from an unknown person.

 Meca said she received a text message evening of August 13, a day after the brother of suspected drug lord Alvaro “Barok” Alvaro was killed in a buy-bust operation in Danao City.

 “Bawos-bawos lang ta ma’am. Gihilabtan man mi ninyo. Mosulod ka’g Danao, kuhaon sad ka namo,” the message reads.  

 Meca said she has forwarded the text to Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Senior Supt. Jose Macanas who advised her to be extra vigilant.

 Still, she said death threats are among the risks and hazards of her job.

 “When I assumed office, I already expected the worst…bisan unsa pa ka-straightforward ang program, di malikayan nga naay di kauyon,” she said.

 “But it did not stop me from my advocacy and passion in running the office. Wa man gyod ta’y naligsan nga tawo especially that CPADAO focuses on the drug demand reduction and not the supply reduction, which is the job of the law enforcement units. But we are in full support to them,” she said.

 She admitted that “the fear is always there.”

 “But it takes courage and I know I would be facing a lot of challenges in this office. Part of accepting this position, I’ve been expecting that any challenges might come along the way,” she said.

 Moreover, Meca said they received around 20 intelligence reports from anonymous sources about different individuals involved in the drug trade in different barangays in Cebu.

 The reports were already forwarded to CPPO for verification and investigation.

 “We don’t do verification but we cater to such reports then we forward them to the police for further investigation,’’ she said.

Meanwhile, four government employees and officials from Moalboal town and two from Medellin town tested positive for drugs based on the drug test initiated by the Capitol. In Moalboal, among those found positive is a barangay councilman.

 At least 314 government employees, including barangay tanods submitted to a drug test Monday in Medellin town, while 221 underwent a similar test Friday in Moalboal.

 The results will be subject to confirmatory testing. The drug test is designed to determine only two illegal substances: shabu and marijuana.

 The employees may be dismissed from service if they are found positive in the confirmatory test.

Meca said they will also forward the result to Capitol's Committee on Discipline and Investigation (CODI) for other appropriate sanctions.

 Section 36 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 states that “officers and employees of public and private offices, whether domestic or overseas, shall be subjected to undergo a random drug test as contained in the company’s work rules and regulations. Any officer or employee found positive for use of dangerous drugs shall be dealt with administratively which shall be a ground for suspension or termination.”

 In Resolution No. 071625, the Civil Service Commission also affirmed the validity of the dismissal of employees found positive of drugs.

 CSC’s Memorandum Circular No. 13-2010 also states, “It should be emphasized that any official or employee found positive for use of dangerous drugs shall be subjected to disciplinary/administrative proceedings with a penalty of dismissal from the service at first offense pursuant to Section 46 (19) of Book V of Executive Order 292 and Section 22 (c) of its Omnibus Rules.” (FREEMAN)