Tuburan town worker tests positive for shabu

CEBU, Philippines - A male employee of the municipality of Tuburan tested positive for shabu during a random drug test yesterday.

The employee was one of the 49 town workers who were subjected to a drug test administered by a private laboratory, said Joey Herrera, executive director of the Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CPADAC).

Herrera withheld the name of the employee, who is a job order personnel.  Herrera said the screening was done as requested by Tuburan Mayor Democrito Diamante. The municipality also funded the conduct of the test.

There were 50 employees who were supposed to undergo the drug test but one of them did not report to work.

Herrera said the said employee will have to face ‘disciplinary actions’ by the municipal officials.

This has been the second time the town conducted a surprise drug test, said Herrera.

The first, he said, was in December last year wherein 11 employees were removed from the office after having been found positive of illegal drug use.

“Sa una daghan to ang nag-positive. Iyang (Diamante) giusban karon kay nakadawat gihapon siya’g report nga naa gihapon naggamit,” he told reporters.

Earlier this month, CPADAC also conducted a drug test at Daanbantayan Municipal Hall where two employees were found positive of illegal drugs.

Of the 73 employees subjected to the screening, 51 were rank-and-file employees while the rest were department heads and barangay officials.

The provincial government earlier urged local government units to conduct random drug tests among their employees as a way of setting good example. (FREEMAN)