4 RID men fail drug screening; 65-year-old nabbed in buy-bust

CEBU, Philippines - Four personnel of the Regional Intelligence Division were found positive for substance used after a surprise drug test, said its chief, Supt. Paul Labra.

Personnel of the PNP Regional Crime Laboratory-7 have informed Labra of the result, which will still be subjected to confirmatory test. The RID has at least a hundred RID personnel.

“We will inform them that they fail and they have a right to contest the result on the laboratory of their choice using the same sample,” Labra said.

Labra said he will also ask the four RID personnel to honestly tell him if indeed they are using drugs.

The four will face administrative proceeding and if found to be positive after the confirmatory test, they will be subjected to a pre-charge investigation.

According to Labra, the Office of the Investigation Division said that if they would voluntarily subject themselves to rehabilitation, it would lighten the penalty.

Labra said the surprise drug test is part of their intelligence efforts to check their men whether they are involved in any illegal activity.

He said that the Police Regional Office-7 is serious in its campaign against illegal activities and that it doesn’t want men in uniform to be involved in any misdeeds.

“This is to show the community that the PRO-7 means business, we don’t want our men to be involved in any illegal activity,” he said.

Meanwhile, a 65-year old man was arrested for selling illegal drugs in an operation conducted by the City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (CAIDSOT) in Barangay Guba, Cebu City Tuesday afternoon.

Seized from suspect, Asocino Soco, were 16 transparent plastic packs containing white crystalline substance believed to be shabu.

Senior Insp. Eunil Avergonzado said that before the operation, Soco was already under surveillance for two weeks.

Soco said that he was forced to sell illegal drugs to sustain the needs of his grandchildren since his children are unemployed.

He said that he used to be a farmer but eventually resorted to being a drug dealer since his income could not meet their daily needs.

He admitted getting supply of drugs from a certain “Diola” and his customers are usually habal-habal drivers and that he was earning P500 a day.

Soco will face charges for violating Sections 5 and 11 of Republic Act 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.—Bryner L. Diaz, Correspondent and Grace Melanie I. Lacamiento/GMR (FREEMAN)