27 City Hall personnel negative of shabu

CEBU, Philippines - Aside from one employee who was absent during the test, all 27 personnel of the human resource development office at City Hall tested negative of traces of shabu.

Personnel at the office were made to undertake the test on suspicion that some of them are hooked to illegal drugs. 

Jose Felix Lazarte, chief of the Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention, assured that the employee who was absent would be made to undergo the test once he reports to work.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he wants employees of City Hall to undergo surprise drug tests from time to time to wipe out employees who use illegal drugs.

Councilor Augustus Pe Jr., chairman of the committee on peace and order of the City Council, is the one coordinating with COSAP in the conduct of the drug tests.

Last week, COSAP conducted a drug test among 38 employees of barangay Guadalupe during which two of them were found positive of traces of shabu. The results, however, are still subject to confirmatory test at the PNP Crime Laboratory.

In the past, several city employees assigned at the Department of Public Services were found positive of shabu and all of them were dismissed from service. — Rene U. Borromeo/JMO (THE FREEMAN)