ANOTHER cop from the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) has tested positive for illegal drugs, an official said.

Police Regional Office (PRO) Western Visayas Spokesperson Police Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong said the cop is a Police Chief Master Sergeant whom he refused to identify.

PRO-Western Visayas Director Police Brigadier General Rolando Miranda affirmed that the cop was reportedly assigned under the Cauayan Municipal Police Station in Negros Occidental.

The involved cop tested positive for use of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu.

Malong said the drug test was carried out on January 19 and was participated by 32 NOCPPO police officers, of which only one came out positive for drug use.

The PRO-Western Visayas spokesperson added that the involved cop had been relieved from his assignment in Cauayan and had been transferred to the PRO-Western Visayas headquarters at Camp Martin Delgado in Iloilo City while waiting for the results of his confirmatory test.

In December 2020, a NOCPPO cop, a police corporal, assigned under the Candoni Municipal Police Station also tested positive for illegal drug use.

The Candoni cop underwent two confirmatory tests and both have tested positive for illegal drug use.

NOCPPO spokesperson Police Lieutenant Abegael Donasco said if found guilty, the erring cops could be dismissed from the service.