Butchers found using shabu to be fired

Cebu Mayor Tomas Osmeña said yesterday that he would no longer allow the seven butchers found positive of using illegal drugs to work in the city abattoir after the confirmatory tests.

The seven butchers were found positive for shabu following a surprise drug test conducted last Tuesday afternoon at the Cebu City Modern Abattoir.

The mayor said that while these personnel are still allowed to report to work at the moment, they will be terminated once the confirmatory tests show they are indeed positive of illegal drugs.

The City Office on Substance Abuse Prevention, through the request of the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries, conducted the surprise drug test among 151 butchers, cleaners and helpers of the CCMA.

The result of the drug test is still subject to confirmatory testing by the Regional Crime Laboratory of the Philippine National Police, which would release the final result after a week.

“After the confirmation, we will not allow them (to work at the city abattoir) anymore. Automatic g’yud na,” Osmeña said yesterday.

But at present, the seven butchers are still allowed to work at the CCMA pending the result of the confirmatory test. The personnel who underwent the surprise drug test still do not know who among them are found positive for drugs.

The surprise drug test is regularly conducted in the city abattoir because of suspicion that many of its personnel are using illegal drugs.

Earlier, 11 butchers were also terminated from service after they were found to be positive of using illegal drugs.

Osmeña said that aside from the city abattoir, doing the same test in the other departments of the City Hall is not necessary at this time.

But he is not also against the idea because the city might implement it in the future and “we don’t announce when we’re going to do it.” — Wenna A. Berondo/LPM