STA. RITA -- Several employees of the Diosdado P. Macapagal Memorial Hospital (DPMMH) called on acting hospital chief Romulo Lacson and the Capitol to admit their mistake in ordering all hospital employees to undergo mandatory drug testing for a fee.

This, after Governor Eddie Panlilio said they are only asking employees to undergo "voluntary and random” drug testing.

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The governor even showed up on Tuesday with some department heads who allegedly “voluntarily” submitted themselves to the testing.

But DPMMH employees who gave Sun.Star a copy of the memorandum said the Capitol “is merely patching up a possible blunder” made by Lacson.

Hospital employees are objecting the mandatory drug testing because Lacson, in his memorandum, required them to pay P150.

Lacson earlier explained the memo only required voluntary testing from the employees.

Panlilio, for his part, said they only require the test if the employees are going to use the results for “personal” reasons.

But employees are not totally convinced by the explanation of the two officials. They are even asking Panlilio to investigate if Lacson may have “overstepped his authority” in issuing the memo on mandatory drug testing.

In his memo, Lacson directed “all DPMMH personnel to undergo mandatory drug testing at P150 per employee” at the DPMMH laboratory. The memo stated that the testing was for “screening and reappointment” purposes.

“Why is the Capitol singing a different tune now? If this is really good governance they are pushing for, they should investigate why the memo stated otherwise. Ordinary employees get investigated for big or small mistakes and Lacson should be no exemption,” the employee said.

But the employees are also thankful to Panlilio for making the drug testing voluntary. “Just imagine being required to undergo a procedure and having to pay for it. This is a big help for us,” the employees said. (Ian Ocampo Flora)