Five outsourced Capitol employees fired for drug use

CEBU, Philippines - Five outsourced employees at the Capitol who were confirmed positive in the drug test conducted have been dismissed from their service.

One of the employees was working with the assessor’s office, one with the veterinarian’s office and three with the agriculture’s office assigned in Naga City.

According to Denise Camero of LBP Service Corporation-Best Source Professionals, the five outsourced employees were immediately dismissed from the service after they were confirmed positive of drug use.

The employees have stopped reporting to their duty since April 8.

Cesar de Guzman, area coordinator of LBP, said they made a recall order for the five employees.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7 had administered the drug test for the 169 Capitol employees picked through computer-generated random selection process.

At least nine employees were confirmed positive of illegal drug use, most of them were outsourced.

The Committee on Discipline and Investigation has yet to determine the fate of one regular and three casual employees who were also confirmed positive for illegal drug.

Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 provides for a random drug testing among the public officers and employees.

Under the law, any officer or employee found positive of dangerous drugs use shall be dealt with administratively, the offense being ground for suspension or termination, subject to the provisions of the Labor Code and the Civil Service Law.  (FREEMAN)