Drug testing to become pre-employment requirement in judiciary – SC

MANILA, Philippines — Drug testing will now be a pre-employment requirement in the judiciary, the Supreme Court (SC) announced on Monday.

This is part of the Guidelines for the Implementation of a Drug-Free Policy in the Philippine Judiciary, a newly released resolution published by the SC.

Under the same guidelines, the high court also said that its employees shall also be subjected to random mandatory drug test.

Testing positive for the use of drugs may result in the suspension or termination of employment.

Furthermore, the SC said the guidelines will also cover all officials or personnel of the judiciary who are employed at the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, Court of Tax Appeals and the Office of the Court Administrator.

Employees in the Judicial and Bar Council, Judicial Integrity Board, Philippine Judicial Academy, Office of the Judiciary Marshals, Mandatory Continuing Legal Office and all other offices placed under the supervision of the Supreme Court are also covered by the guidelines.

Similarly, other workers in the courts, such as security, janitorial services, personnel hired through service contracts, as well as employees detailed as members of the Senate Electoral Tribunal and House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal, are also subject to the resolution.