Eight persons tested positive in surprise drug tests of 249 traffic enforcers and city government employees in Silay City this week, the police reported Wednesday, July 12.
About 99 traffic enforcers and 150 city government employees underwent drug testing on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, the Silay police said.
A city government employee and seven traffic enforcers yielded positive results, it said.
Silay City Mayor Joedith Gallego told DIGICAST NEGROS those traffic enforcers who tested positive will be terminated from their jobs.
In the case of the city government employee who was found positive, they will look into the regulations of the Civil Service Commission on the possibility of termination, too, he added.
The mayor also warned that this will not be the last time that they will conduct surprise drug testing and urged those who still use illegal drugs to stop it as it will just destroy their lives.
Silay Police Chief, PLt. Col. Mark Anthony Darroca, said that this is part of their drug clearing program among uniformed personnel and government employees in Silay City.
He said that of the seven traffic enforcers, two of them used marijuana and five used shabu.
Darroca urged them to join a community-based drug rehabilitation program.
“Joining the drug rehab program is the first step for them to be de-listed from the drug watchlist”, he said, adding “If they are serious to change, the government can provide them another chance to be hired again or will give them livelihood to help them”.*