CEBU, Philippines – The head of Cebu City’s Office for Substance Abuse Prevention has negated accusations circulating online that Mayor Michael Rama is suffering from a serious drug problem.
COSAP chief Dr. Alice Utlang, whose department administered another round of “surprise” drug test on October 13, presented to the media yesterday a copy of Rama’s drug test report showing the “negative” result.
“The result of Mayor Mike and the rest of the department heads and the vice mayor, all negative. Therefore, dili siya (Rama) positive. Therefore, dili siya naggamit og drugas,” Utlang said.
Utlang was made to speak on the result during Rama’s regular press conference yesterday to clear doubts from the “skeptic citizenry,” as the mayor described.
She clarified that it was a surprise drug test and none from the city officials directed her to conduct the test.
“In our office, there are times when the barangay officials will request for us to have the drug test but when it comes to officials and higher ranks, it is only me who knows and will do the scheduling,” she said.
The first drug test administered to city officials including Rama was on March 2014, which was supposedly intended for newly-hired employees.
Rama was then presiding a budget meeting when Utlang challenged the department heads and their assistants present in the meeting to undergo the test. Labella, who happened to be around to attend the next scheduled meeting, was also subjected to the test.
The testing procedure was designed to check if illegal substances such as Methamphetamine and Tetrahydrocannabinol, locally known as shabu and marijuana, respectively, or either of these two is present in the person’s body.
COSAP, a day later, announced the result from the Alpha Diagnostic Center of the Department of Health-7, showing that no one from the city officials tested positive of illegal drugs.
The 38 newly-hired employees, who underwent the same test, were also cleared of any illegal substance. — May B. Miasco/NSA (FREEMAN)