2 CH workers suspended for drug use

CEBU, Philippines – "I will not tolerate this." This was the reaction of Sipalay City Mayor Oscar Montilla about two City Hall employees who were apprehended in a drug buy-bust operation and were tested positive for illegal drugs use.

As this developed, Chief Inspector Luisito Acebuche, Sipalay City Police chief, identified the two public workers as 51-year-old Arturo Orbigoso Jr. of Barangay 5 and chairman of Pasaway Foundation; and Jerry Mueda, 48, of Barangay 3, a contractual employee of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, all in Sipalay City.

Acebuche confirmed that the two employees were tested positive for drugs. He said Orbigoso and Mueda, along with Ferdinand Franco, 40, of Barangay San Jose in Sipalay, were apprehended in the house of alleged drug pusher Niel Dagunan, 51, also in Barangay Jose, in a buy-bust operation at around 11:30 p.m. on December 8.

The police official said the three will face charges for violation of Sections 7 (visiting a drug den) and 8 (using prohibited drugs) of the Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

A P200,000 bail will be recommended for each of them, and in addition, for Dagunan, who violated Section 5 (selling of drugs), will have no bail recommended, said Acebuche, adding that the four suspects are now detained at the Sipalay City Police Office.

Montilla told The Freeman he immediately ordered a 60-day suspension, without pay, against the two employees, though, he pointed out that they will be given due process.