4 city workers test positive for drugs

CEBU, Philippines - Four Cebu City Hall employees have been found positive of using illegal drugs, one of them a regular employee.

City Mayor Michael Rama ordered lawyer Dominic Dino, his new chief of staff, to terminate the workers from their jobs.

“Katong mga positive dong (Dino), you have to remember nga my rule is they cannot be (working in the City Hall) anymore,” Rama told Dino yesterday during his regular press conference.

Dino said the three casual employees will automatically be terminated from the jobs while the one regular employee will undergo due process of law.

“Pa-take-kon og leave, then go through the process. Ang regular (worker) mo-follow gyud sa process sa Civil Service Commission. Naa’y hearing. Paatubangon gyud na siya. Ang casual employees, automatic (termination),” Dino said.

Rama said he cannot tolerate City Hall employees who use illegal drugs considering that they are part of the city government serving the public.

“They have to be out. Public service is very urgent. We cannot have people who are in trouble with drugs,” Rama said.

Lawyer Mary Ann Suson, the new chief of Human Resource Development Office, said she has not received any information yet with regard to this matter.

Dino said this is the first drug test for this year. For last year, he said more than 10 City Hall casual employees were also terminated due to this violation.

Rama and Dino said the employees will be given a chance to go back to work at the City Hall if they have “changed already.”

“Probably after reassessment (they can go back). Reformed na gani siya, why not? If dili na gyud, lisod na (to let them go back in their work),” Dino said.

Section 36 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 states that “officers and employees of public and private offices, whether domestic or overseas, shall be subjected to undergo a random drug test as contained in the company’s work rules and regulations. Any officer or employee found positive for use of dangerous drugs shall be dealt with administratively which shall be a ground for suspension or termination.”

Rama also reminded and directed Cebu City’s Association of Barangay Council President Philip Zafra that those barangay employees positive of illegal drugs should also be terminated.

He said those barangays which are not terminating their employees who are drug positive cannot receive project from the city government.

“I would like to tell Zafra (to terminate the barangay employees positive of drugs) because kon mo-promote sila ana, dili tagaan og project. I will tell him to terminate those employees,” Rama said.

Last year, almost 200 barangay employees were found positive for using illegal drugs in Cebu City.  (FREEMAN)