More CH workers test positive for drug use

CEBU, Philippines — The number of Cebu City Hall workers who tested positive for illegal drug use has increased to 42.

City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP) head Jonah John Rodriguez said five more workers from the City Assessor's Office and one each from the Office of the Mayor, Department of Public Services, and Office of the City Civil Registrar tested positive.

Earlier, 37 workers failed the surprise drug screenings conducted by COSAP starting November 8.

The 37 workers include five from the Market Operations Division; 10 from the Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification, and Enhancement team; nine from the Department of Engineering and Public Works; four from the Department of Public Services; three from the Department of Manpower, Development and Placement; two from the Department of General Services; two from the Parks and Playground Committee; and one each from the City Registrar’s Office and the Operation Second Chance.

Five of them have resigned.

City Legal Officer Rey Gealon disclosed that the 13 job order and casual employees who earlier tested positive for drug use have been recommended for termination.

Gealon said Mayor Edgardo Labella has directed the Human Resource and Development Office to issue notices of termination to the eight workers from DEPW, two from DGS, two from Parks and Playgrounds, and one from OSC.

"The rest of those who tested positive in the surprise drug test conducted by COSAP will follow suit. Due process was accorded to the respondents, nonetheless," Gealon said.

Labella, in a previous interview, said the regular employees will undergo due process, adding, that he is willing to help them if they want to undergo rehabilitation.

Contracts of casual employees, however, will no longer be renewed.

It was Labella, when he was still a councilor in 2000, who authored an ordinance requiring a drug test for those applying for the city government.

Under the ordinance, employees may also be subjected to random drug tests.

COSAP will carry on with the surprise drug tests among City Hall workers to make sure that the city government is drug-free, and to support the anti-drug campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte. (FREEMAN)