3K prov’l gov’t employees undergo drug testing

At least 3,000 provincial government employees and officials are undergoing mandatory drug testing starting today, December 11, Atty. Rayfrando Diaz, provincial administrator, said.

Diaz said those assigned to the Capitol-operated district hospitals will be tested on December 15.

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson was tested on today, while the other elected officials will be tested tomorrow, Tuesday, he said.

“They are examples to our employees. Nobody is exempt from it,” he also said.

“It’s mandatory. So no one can escape it,” Diaz pointed out.

He warned the other employees who tried to escape the mandatory drug testing during the two days that “we will still reach them.”

“Those who did not comply, sanctions will be imposed on them. As a matter of procedure that is accepted in all local government units, the provincial government is doing its share to ensure a drug free workplace at the Capitol. The employees should accept it as a condition of their renewed employment,” Diaz said.

Pressed if they have received information of an employee using drugs at the Capitol, Diaz answered in the negative, saying “we have intelligence information that there are illegal drugs in other establishments and institutions surrounding the Capitol.”

The mandatory drug testing, he said, “has long been worked out by the provincial government with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).”

“This is a part of the requirements of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG),” he said.* (Eugene Y. Adiong)