Leave elementary pupils out of drug tests, CPADAO asks PDEA

THE Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office (CPADAO) disagrees with the plan of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to include elementary school pupils in the mandatory drug test.

Carmen Remedios “Ivy” Durano-Meca, CPADAO executive director, told reporters that the Dangerous Drug Board (DDB) allows the conduct of random drug test among secondary and tertiary students.

Meca told reporters that conducting drug tests on elementary school pupils is a sensitive matter and could be traumatizing for children if it’s not done properly.

She prefers that PDEA focus on conducting drug tests on high school and college students, which remains unimplemented up to now due to guidelines that needed to be followed.

“Dili ta pwede nga muataki ta sa usa ka school para magconduct ug drug tests,” Meca said.

PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino earlier proposed to implement drug tests for Grade 4 pupils after they caught 10-year-old children selling illegal drugs. (JKV)