NCRPO to sack cops cheating on drug tests

Metro police chief Director Geary Barias ordered yesterday the implementation of measures to stop police officers from cheating on random drug tests.

Barias directed his five district directors to thoroughly search policemen scheduled to undergo drug testing so the police force can permanently rid its ranks of drug addicts.

“We should thoroughly search their trousers or pants for hidden urine samples so cheating during drug tests would be permanently stopped,” Barias said in an interview.

He issued his directive following a statement by Ria Sotto, 20, who said her common-law-husband, Police Officer 2 Jesus de la Cruz, 30, would attach a child’s urine sample to the seams of his pants and later submit it as his own.

De la Cruz was arrested last week after he shot Sotto, who berated him for sniffing shabu in the bathroom of their house in Barangay Addition Hills, Mandaluyong City.

Dela Cruz missed Sotto but a stray bullet hit a neighbor, Emmanuel Adlaon, 43, in the buttocks.

Mandaluyong police chief Senior Superintendent Carlos de Sagun said De la Cruz admitted his crime, including cheating on drug tests. He ordered the filing of two counts of frustrated homicide before the city’s prosecutor’s office against de la Cruz.

De Sagun also subjected De la Cruz to a fresh drug test, the result of which would be released today. “Once he turns out positive for drug use, we will punish him so others would not follow his bad example,” he said.  – Non Alquitran