Rama says outright dismissal for policemen into drug abuse

Cebu City acting mayor Michael Rama will support the move to dismiss outright from service those policemen, firefighters, and jail personnel found to be positive of illegal drug use.

Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno has ordered intensified random drug tests on uniformed personnel of the police, the Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

Republic Act 8551 or the New Police Act of 1998 allows the conduct of a random drug test to policemen, while law also allows surprise drug testing to firefighters and jail personnel.

The random drug testing is to be done for the purpose of determining compliance with the requirements on physical and mental health, as well as the non-use of prohibited drugs by the uniformed personnel.

“Kon tinud-on ni Secretary Puno ang iyang bahad nga taktakon kadtong mapositibo sa illegal drugs, sigurado g’yod nga dunay mataktak sa serbisyo,” a police officer at Camp Sotero Cabahug said yesterday.

Puno said that the National Police Commission, which he chairs, will form drug testing teams to carry out the random tests nationwide as part of the sustained efforts of the government to win the war against illegal drugs.

The refusal to undergo drug tests will be construed as insubordination on the part of any member of the PNP.

Meanwhile, the Napolcom will also issue a resolution in the next few days spelling out a one-strike policy against police officers who fail to wipe out illegal drugs in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

The one-strike policy will be applied if the chief of police fails to lead anti-illegal drugs operations in his area of jurisdiction or ignores adverse reports about the presence of drug dens or laboratories or the widespread use of illegal drugs.

Puno also warned local chief executives that they could face administrative and criminal charges should they be found negligent or remiss in their duties in the all-out campaign against illegal drugs in their respective communities.

He reminded them that under the law, local government units are required to allocate a substantial portion of their annual budgets to help win the war against drug abuse. — Rene U. Borromeo/MEEV   (THE FREEMAN)