A COUNCILOR of Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, and his employee-son were found positive in the surprise drug test initiated by the town police on Monday, October 3.
Senior Inspector Alan Reloj, chief of Moises Padilla Municipal Police Station, identified the Municipal Council member as Jolomar Hilario, who was among the 96 male municipal personnel who submitted urine samples.
Hilario’s son Francis, a casual employee assigned at the Municipal Treasurer's Office, and Emilio Catague, a regular employee of the Municipal Agriculture Office, were also found positive for illegal drug use.
Also tested were traffic enforcers, barangay peacekeeping action team members, and civil security members.
Reloj told SunStar Bacolod that the drug test was conducted by personnel of Municipal Health Office inside the mayor’s office after the flag-raising ceremony.
Mayor Magdaleno Peña was not present at that time as he was in Bacolod City.
Reloj said the councilor voluntarily submitted his urine sample after he was informed by the police about result of his son’s drug test.
He added that the test results of the three were confirmed by a laboratory in Bacolod.
Reloj said Peña advised him to detain the three at the police station's custodial facility for disciplinary action.
The police chief added that they are studying the criminal charges they will file against them, but they will also be administratively charged.