Three Bgry Sto. Niño employees found positive of using drugs

CEBU, Philippines - Three more barangay employees were found positive of using illegal drugs during a random drug test conducted by the Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP) in Barangay Sto. Niño, Cebu City yesterday.

Barangay Captain Pancho Ramirez Sr. said a directive has been in place as far as using illegal drugs in concerned.

"Sige nako sila gimanduan nga dili gyud mugamit kay kung mugamit gani sila, there's a possibility matangtang sila," he told The Freeman.

Of the three employees positive of drug use, two are loaders while the other is a member of the Lupong Tagapamayapa. Barangay Sto. Niño has 60 employees, including its officials.

Ramirez said that if it were all up to him, he would want the three employees terminated but the result of the test would need to be confirmed by laboratory test.

"Kani sila mga maayo man unta motrabaho pero og di sad sila tangtangon, madaot man sad ang barangay. Madaot sad ang uban basin mosunod nila. Mas maayong tangtangon gyud para nako," he said.

Ramirez revealed that one of the three also tested positive of drug use during the term of the former barangay captain.

Of the 80 barangays in Cebu City, a surprise drug test has been conducted in 57. Of the 4,348 employees from the 57 barangays, 181 have been found positive of using drugs.

Based on the recommendation of COSAP, those who are found positive of using drugs and whose test results are confirmed should be terminated. They can only return to work after undergoing rehabilitation.

However, despite the rehabilitation provided for free by the city, only 24 of the 181 found positive of drug use availed of the program.

"Mas maayo gyud nga sila ang moduol namo. Kay dili man gud ta kapugos sa tawo nga magbag-o (It is best if they come to my office voluntarily, because they cannot really be forced if they do not want to)," said COSAP chief Alice Utlang.

"We are here to help them. Kay og sa private sila nga rehabilitation center very expensive kaayo. Atong purpose nga sa sayo pa ma bag-o sila," she added.

Cebu City's Association of Barangay Council has urged barangay captains to encourage their employees to avail of the free service.

"Yes, ato gyud nang gi-advise sa mga barangay captains to encourage them (barangay employees) nga mu-undergo sa rehabilitation as recommended by COSAP," ABC President Philip Zafra said.

He said public servants violating the law simply give a bad image to public service.

Zafra assured that the barangay captains in the city are monitoring their employees who are found positive to drugs.

He has suggested that contracts of barangay employees should be renewed every three months and that employees must be made to undergo a drug test prior to reappointment. — (FREEMAN)