Binay sacks 6 city hall employees positive for drug use

MANILA, Philippines - Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay on Thursday ordered the dismissal from service of six city hall employees who tested positive for shabu during random drug tests conducted by the Makati Anti-Drug Abuse Council (MADAC) from January to June this year.

Binay said the six employees were among the 90 persons who were tested positive for using shabu out of a total of 2,337 workers tested by MADAC during the six-month period.

Binay said that aside from termination, the sacked employees - four casual employees, a regular employee and a "job order" employee - are also facing sanctions in accordance with the guidelines for a "drug-free workplace in the bureaucracy" under Memorandum Circular No. 13-10 of the Civil Service Commission.

Binay expressed dismay over the number of barangay personnel found positive for shabu, urging barangay leaders to take appropriate action to weed out substance abusers and possible drug pushers from their work force.

“Urgent measures must be taken to ensure that those who are entrusted with the safety and well-being of residents in every community are trustworthy and responsible. Drug addicts have no place in our city, much less in government agencies and offices tasked with the delivery of frontline services to the public,” he said.

In a report to the Mayor, MADAC operations chief Supt. Jaime Santos said that for the said period, his office had tested a total of 1,450 barangay personnel, 80 of whom tested positive for shabu.

In the private sector, where 566 employees underwent the test with the consent of their employers, three tested positive for shabu, while seven out of 321 national and city government workers tested were found positive for shabu, Santos said.

Binay lauded MADAC for its initiative that has largely boosted the city government’s campaign for drug-free workplaces in Makati as part of its overall thrust to promote a “Drug-free Makati”. He also thanked the management of private establishments that have cooperated with MADAC, and encouraged others to do the same to help sustain the success of the initiative.

The random drug test was done through obtaining urine sample from each individual under tight watch by MADAC personnel. The procedure was supervised by Dr. Restituto Acuña of the Makati Health Department to ensure the validity of results.

Last June, MADAC was recognized by the Department of the Interior and Local Government for its ‘exemplary performance in the implementation of programs, projects and activities towards prevention and control of drug abuse in the city of Makati for the year 2012’.

Aside from undertaking relentless buy-bust operations and arrests of pushers, Makati through MADAC also provides comprehensive treatment, rehabilitation and after-care services, as well as livelihood assistance to rehabilitated drug offenders.

Last year, MADAC referred 90 drug dependents to various rehabilitation centers in Bicutan, Pampanga, and Tagaytay, and to the center for mental health in Mandaluyong City.