None of the 53 Bacolod City government workers who tested positive for drugs have surrendered to the police yet.
If they surrender and undergo rehabilitation charges will not be filed against them, Police Lt. Col. Ronnie Brillo, Bacolod City Police Office deputy for operations, said at the press conference of Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez at the Bacolod City Government Center on Monday, August 7.
The Bacolod City government is now making drug tests mandatory for all of its employees and officials, City Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting Jr. said.
The mandatory drug tests are allowed under the Civil Service Commission (CSC) provisions and the Dangerous Drugs Act, Ting said.
Benitez said the city government is actually obliged to conduct mandatory drug testing for its employees every two years as required by the civil service provisions.
Drug testing will be random for JO workers as the test kits are expensive, Benitez said.
If they are found positive they will not be reappointed and will have to undergo rehabilitation, he said.
Hopefully if they follow the rehabilitation program, they will be reconsidered for rehiring if they are found fit to work again, Benitez said.*