BACOLOD City – All employees of the Silay City local government unit (LGU) in Negros Occidental are expected to undergo drug tests as the number of city government employees who tested positive for illegal drugs climbed to 13.
The latest were the five personnel of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) who tested positive for illegal drugs during another round of random drug tests on Friday, July 14.
Mayor Joedith Gallego said of the five, four were casual employees and have been removed from their posts while the fifth, a regular city hall employee, voluntarily resigned.
Gallego is now proposing to have all city government employees screened for illegal drugs.
He is also seeking further assistance from the Philippine National Police (PNP) to continue testing the remaining city government employees.
The members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod already underwent drug tests, and another series of surprise drug tests will be conducted for the remaining city hall employees soon.
Gallego ordered the surprise drug tests following a buy-bust operation earlier this month that resulted in the arrest of two city government job orders — 43-year-old Richard Valenzuela and 30-year-old Romel Nerio.
Recovered from the two were 13 grams of shabu worth P88,400 and drug paraphernalia.
Gallego warned city government employees not to engage in illegal drugs. He would not hesitate to take appropriate measures if they are caught.
Meanwhile, the city mayor acknowledged that the city government had become lax when it comes to requiring drug tests for applicants.
However, due to the recent incidents, Gallego said they will reinstate drug testing as a requirement for persons who are seeking employment with the city government. (Watchmen Daily Journal)
