CEBU, Philippines - Two women and seven men working for Barangay Punta Princesa tested positive for illegal drugs in a surprise drug test conducted by the Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP) yesterday afternoon.
Eighty-two employees and officials of the barangay were surprised after around 10 personnel from COSAP along with elements from the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory suddenly appeared during their barangay meeting.
The testing was immediately administered at around 2 p.m. which lasted for almost three hours.
COSAP head Joey Herera clarified that the nine barangay employees who tested positive are still subject to a confirmatory test.
The results are due to be released around 10 days after it was taken.
Punta Princesa officials and employees had no choice but to submit to the surprise drug test inside the Vicente Sotto Memorial Gym where they were all gathered for what was supposed to be an ordinary gathering.
Barangay Punta Princesa councilman Joselito Navarro, who also heads the barangay’s committee on health, told The FREEMAN that the surprise test was very timely.
“Timing ra pud ang testing kay nag meeting mi tanan una mo larga si kapitan ngadto sa gawas,” he said.
Navarro said shock was obvious in the eyes of those who later tested positive, compared to the other staff who took the test lightly.
“Na shock gyud ang mga tiggamitay og drogas samtang ang wala, mura lang pud og wala,” he said.
Navarro said that drug tests should be done more frequently in all barangays throughout the city, adding that this is one way of eliminating lazy and ineffective barangay employees.
“Mas maayo nga pirmanente ang drug test kay lain man sad nga kita unta mga public servant ang example, mao ra man pud ang magdrogas,” he said.
Joselito said his father, Captain Jose Navarro, does not tolerate such actions within their workforce.
“Papahuwayon sila’g 6 months human nga sila ma test positive. Unya human sa six months, i-drug test og balik unya ato sad kita-on kun ato ba sila dawaton og balik,” he said.
The surprise drug test was done during a general meeting days before Captain Navarro is set to leave for abroad.
He will leave Councilman Alvin Paez as OIC barangay captain. - (THE FREEMAN)