BACOLOD City – Around 71 uniformed personnel of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) underwent random drug tests.
BCPO head Senior Superintendent Francisco Ebreo said yesterday’s conduct of the “surprise” drug tests is part of the internal cleansing campaign of the Philippine National Police.
It is a way to assure the public that police forces are “clean” and has the “moral ascendancy” to enforce laws, especially those assigned in the antidrug unit, added Ebreo.
It was the first drug test conducted at the BCPO this year.
Officers from the Crime Laboratory of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office led by Superintendent Helen Pasoy collected urine samples from the BCPO personnel.
The samples will be brought to the Crime Laboratory of the Police Regional Office-6 (PRO-6) in Iloilo City for testing.
Administrative and criminal charges tantamount to dismissal from service await police officers who will test positive for illegal drug use.
Meanwhile, PRO-6 director Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao on Tuesday said a police officer from Negros Occidental tested positive for illegal drugs.
Bulalacao, not naming the cop, said he is a Police Officer 3 assigned at the Regional Police Holding and Accounting Unit.
The PRO-6 chief added that the police officer has admitted that he is using illegal drugs.
Bulalacao said the cop will be removed from service./PN
