SAN JOSE, Antique – At least 286 local government unit (LGU) officials and employees in Hamtic, Antique subjected to unannounced drug tests all passed, according to Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region 6.
Municipal police station chief Major Adolfo Pagharion Jr. said the Hamtic Rural Health Unit facilitated the drug tests on Feb. 24.
Aside from municipal officials and workers, 41 police personnel and 44 drug surrenderers, who participated in a random drug testing, also yielded negative results.
Pagharion said the drug testing was an initiative of the town’s LGU to show proof that its stakeholders are serious in the campaign against illegal drugs, and also in pursuance to the provisions of Republic Act 9165 as to maintaining drug-free workplaces.
For the drug surrenderers, the random drug test was part of their Community-Based Rehabilitation and Wellness Program. Hamtic has 117 drug surrenderers at present.
The Hamtic police chief also said the activity was in response to the directive of the Police Regional Office-Region 6 – to conduct a surprise drug test in all municipal police stations in the region as requirement for police officers who want to remain in the service.
Hamtic’s recent surprise random drug test marks the fourth time it was done in the municipality.
Two previous tests were done in 2018, while the other one in 2019 produced a 100 % negative result.
In relation to the purpose of the said activity, Pagharion said that the LGU in Hamtic has allocated around P850,000 of budget for its campaign against illegal drugs.
He added that the rehabilitation center for drug surrenderers and plea bargainers, or known as Bahay Silangan situated in the town’s old Department of Education building in Barangay Poblacion 1 is set to operate this month. It is the first in the region./PN
