“Seminars not taken seriously” 2 City Hall workers tested drug positive

CEBU, Philippines - Two employees of the Cebu City Hall tested positive during another random drug test conducted by the City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention on Monday.

COSAP executive director Dr. Alice Utlang lamented that City Hall employees appeared to be not taking seriously the anti-illegal drug trainings and seminars they conducted last year since the number of those who tested positive for drug use increased as of March this year.

“Nagtuo pa mi nga mo-decrease karon kay tungod sa atong mga seminars nga ato g’yod silang gipahibaw sa consequences kon mosulod sila anang bisyoha, pero wala g’yod nato nakita nga naa’y kausaban,” she said.

At least 105 employees from 18 departments and offices of Cebu City Hall undergone the drug test since January and of the number, eight were found positive of illegal drugs, said Utlang.

In 2014, COSAP tested 551 City Hall employees, 15 of whom tested positive of illegal drugs.

Utlang said last Monday’s result has been endorsed to the City Legal Office and Human Resource and Development Office for appropriate action.

In its effort to intensify campaign against illegal drugs, COSAP will be coordinating with the HRDO in conducting seminars. All City Hall employees are obliged to attend, said Utlang.

Less supply seen

Meanwhile, a decrease in supply of illegal drugs in Barangay Mambaling is expected following the confiscation of P6 million worth of shabu and the arrest of a suspected bigtime pusher last Monday.

But Regional Intelligence Division chief, Superintendent Pablo Labra II, said the supply’s decline in the area will only be temporary.

“Initially, as always duna’y epekto. Naa’y pagkunhod like for several days or a week,” he said.

Operatives of the City Intelligence Branch and agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency arrested Marilou Sabello, 54, in a buy-bust operation Monday afternoon.

Seized from the house of the suspect were a half-kilo pack, two medium packs and 42 small packs of suspected shabu, a .38 cal. revolver and P3,000 in suspected drug money. Sabello could reportedly sell at least 500 grams up to a kilo of shabu each week.

Labra said there are still more drug pushers in the area.

Intelligence officers from the Police Regional Office – 7, Cebu City Police Office and Cebu Provincial Police Office convened yesterday following the consecutive arrests of bigtime drug pushers in Cebu.

Labra said they believe Sabello gets her drug supply from Barangay Duljo-Fatima.

Two days before Sabello’s arrest, CIB also apprehended alleged bigtime drug pusher Emelyn Dingal in Barangay Duljo-Fatima.

The police recovered from the suspect three large packs, three medium-sized packs, and 30 small packs of suspected shabu estimated to be around P1.3 million.

CIB considers Dingal as a level one drug pusher who could dispose of almost a kilo of shabu every week. They believe that the source of Dingal and Sabella is the same.

Last Friday, the police also confiscated a total of P7 million worth of illegal drugs from Jonathan Cañada in a buy-bust operation in Tres de Abril Street, Barangay Labangon.

Cañada used to be an errand boy for the Civil Security Group of the Philippine National Police and allegedly works for a man the police consider as a big target.

CCPO OIC

CCPO officer-in-charge Senior Superintendent Conrad Capa affirmed Labra’s statement, saying the fight against illegal drugs will continue.

Capa said he has been in the narcotics command since 1989 but the problem on illegal drugs is still present up to now.

“Lagi naman kaming nagre-raid. Hanggang may nagluluto ng shabu, hanggang may gumagamit, babawas lang tayo. You have to catch kung sino man,” he said.

The illegal drug trade, Capa said, has evolved through the years, adding a gram of shabu previously pegged at P1,000 now costs P7,000.

Sabello’s arrest was CCPO’s biggest accomplishment in terms of anti-illegal drug operation for this year, said Capa.

“We never stop,” he added.

He said the cooperation of barangay officials largely contributed to the successful arrest of drug pushers in the city.

Capa said they believed that their heightened fight against illegal drugs contributed to the decrease in the city’s crime incidents. —(FREEMAN)