CEBU, Philippines - Almost 200 barangay employees from 54 barangays of Cebu City have been found positive of illegal drugs use in this year’s continuing effort to weed them out.
Yesterday, another three employees were discovered as drug users during a random drug testing by the Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP) in Barangays Cogon Ramos and Sapangdaku.
Two of the employees, a barangay tanod and a barangay driver, were from Cogon Ramos, while the third was a Sapangdaku loader.
COSAP Chief Alice Utlang said the barangay captains of Cogon Ramos and Sapangdaku, along with their respective barangay councils, would be the ones to decide on the fate of the three barangay employees.
With the discovery of the three barangay employees, the number of barangay workers und positive of drugs use now reaches 178.
Utlang said COSAP recommended to the barangay captains that barangay tanod caught as drug users should automatically be terminated from service.
“Ang rule sa tanod sa barangay, mura na sila og small police nga mo implementar sa balaod. Sila ang katabang sa mga pulis sa pagdakop sa mga drug users (but they themselves use illegal drugs),” Utlang said.
Of the 61 Cogon Ramos barangay employees and officials, 50 underwent the drug test.
On the other hand, of the 70 Sapangdaku employees, only 59 showed up during the screening.
Earlier, Utlang said they will conduct another random drug testing for those who did not undergo the test.
She urged drug users to instead come out by going to her office undergo the free drug rehabilitation program provided for by the city government.
“Mas maayo gyud nga sila ang moduol namo. Kay dili man gud ta kapugos sa tawo nga magbag-o (It is best if they come to my office voluntarily, because they cannot really be forced if they do not want to).” Utlang said.
“We are here to help them. Kay og sa private sila nga rehabilitation center very expensive kaayo. Atong purpose nga sa sayo pa ma bag-o sila,” she added.— /RHM (FREEMAN)