Thursday, October 18, 2007 Pick accredited drug test centers: Comelec to bry., SK candidates
THE Department of Health (DOH) warns barangay and SK candidates against drug testing at unaccredited testing centers.
The DOH-Bureau of Health Facilities and Services issued an advisory for the drug testing of candidates for the 2007 synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on Oct. 29.
The Commission on Elections, in a resolution, requires the mandatory drug testing of all candidates for this month’s elections.
Covered are candidates for barangay captain, barangay councilor, SK chairman and SK councilor.
The drug testing certificates will be attached to the candidates’ respective certificates of candidacy (COCs).
Today is the deadline for the filing of COCs.
“Please be advised that only DOH-accredited drug testing laboratories shall perform drug testing of candidates,” the advisory signed by the bureau’s director, lawyer Nicolas Lutero III, read.
“Drug tests issued by any drug-testing laboratory not accredited by DOH shall be deemed invalid and therefore must not be honored by Comelec,” Lutero warned.
Testing at private centers cost not more P250.00, while government-owned drug testing laboratories should not cost more than P200.
DOH-retained hospitals like the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center cannot charge more than P180. (JGA)
