Busted for drugs: Capitol employee faces termination

CEBU, Philippines - A job order employee of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center will lose his job after he was arrested during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Busay, Cebu City over the weekend.

 Provincial Administrator Mark Tolentino said the worker, Glenndon Dabuco, will be terminated from service because the provincial government will not tolerate his activities.

"Dili man ta mo-tolerate ana. It makes the process more expedient for us since he's a JO.  Pwede ra man na ma-terminate. That's been the policy ever since, ilabi na JO. Stricto ta ana," he said.

 Dabuco, 31, a clerk at the jail, was arrested last November 12 after he was caught by police in possession of a large pack and two-medium packs of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of P100,000; two weighing scales; various equipment used to repack drugs; and other drug  paraphernalia.

 The operatives seized the items when they raided one of Dubaco's houses in Sitio Garahe, Busay.

 Dabuco denied the allegation.

 Two other men who were present during the buy-bust were also arrested. They were identified as Mervic Magno, 28, and Roldan Arcillo, 39. Both yielded two small sachets of shabu and drug paraphernalia.

 Under Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, any officer or employee found positive of dangerous drugs use shall be dealt with administratively, the offense being ground for suspension or termination, subject to the provisions of the Labor Code and the Civil Service Law.

 Tolentino said Dubaco's case should serve as a warning to other Capitol employees not to be involved in illegal drugs.

 "Casual or permanent employees there's additional requirements that we have to observe (when it comes to dismissal), but we don't tolerate that kind of transgression," he said. (FREEMAN)