Two brgy workers positive for drugs

At least two workers of barangays Capitol Site and Carreta were found positive for illegal drug use during a drug test conducted by the Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention.

Joeling Lazarte of COSAP said they conducted the drug test in the two barangays following the request of their officials in an effort to get rid of employees who are hooked on illegal drugs.

Lazarte, however, said the two personnel found positive for illegal drugs will still undergo confirmatory testing.

 As provided for by Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as the Dangerous Drugs Act, the drug testing shall employ, among others, two testing methods.

The first is the screening test, which will determine the positive result as well as the type of drug used. The second is the confirmatory test, which will determine a positive screening test.

An ordinary drug test costs P300 per person while a confirmatory drug test is worth P1,000.

Nevertheless, Lazarte said it’s up to the barangay captain to determine if the services of the personnel found positive for drugs should continue.

Meanwhile, Cebu City Police Office Director Senior Superintendent Patrocinio Comendador directed all police stations and other special units to sustain the relentless drive against all forms of gambling, particularly the video karera.

“This (saturation drive) will be continuous and we will sustain this,” Comendador said during his regular press conference yesterday.

 Last Saturday evening, the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Branch and the Special Weapons and Tactics team rounded up at least 24 people and confiscated guns, illegal drugs and gambling machines in barangay Tejero.

CIIB chief Senior Inspector George Ylanan said the barangay where there is video karera operation can also be a haven for illegal drugs.

“Kung naa ang video karera, automatic naa gyud nang mga badlongon,” Ylanan said.

Ylanan said during the operation in Tejero, they were able to arrest two persons for illegal possession of .38 caliber revolvers.

The team also arrested Herodes dela Cruz for possession of several packs of suspected shabu, and seized four gambling machines.  

“Didto sa Tejero, nahimong successful ang operation tungod sa involvement sa community and the barangay officials, particularly sa ilang kapitan,” Ylanan said.  —  Garry B. Lao/LPM