DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 5 June)—Vice Mayor Jay Melchor Quitain Jr. said he and the city councilors, along with the rest of the employees of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, are willing to undergo drug testing to prove they are not users of illegal drugs.
This was a reaction after Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said on Monday that he urged officials from Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to investigate reports that several government employees in Davao City were using illegal drugs.
Quitain said he will talk with the councilors during their next session to have themselves tested for illegal drug use.
He said that as far as the Sangguniang Panlungsod is concerned, they have no problem with drug tests. “We already did that before some years ago,” Quitain told reporters at the sidelines of his anti-drug campaign program for youth Wednesday morning.
The vice mayor added there is no need for a resolution nor an ordinance to make drug testing mandatory among government officials and personnel.
“We can do it mandatory, but right now I think our drug tests are ongoing,” he said. He added that the respective offices in the city government of Davao can require their employees to undergo drug tests, “but better make it random.”
Recently, reports broke out that 37 personnel from the Davao City Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO) and six personnel from Ancillary Services Unit (ASU) tested positive during random drug testing since late April.
Mayor Sebastian Duterte said those found positive for illegal drug use, mostly contractual workers, were ordered dismissed from service.
Last month, 35 DCPO officers, including city director Richard Bad-ang, were relieved from their posts due to an internal investigation on the deaths of seven drug suspects during police anti-drug operations.
The killings occurred after Mayor Duterte declared a war on illegal drugs in the city. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)