SANGGUNIANG Kabataan (SK) Cebu Federation President Jerico Rubio advised four SK officials who tested positive for drug use to take a leave of absence.
“Mas maayo tingali mo lie low lang usa gyud kay ana nga problema gud di man gud gaan lang, kondili bug-at gyud (It’s better for them to lie low because this is not an easy problem. This is complicated),” he told Superbalita Cebu.
Rubio, an ex-officio member of the Provincial Board, said he is waiting for the directive from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on what to do with the SK officials.
He planned to meet them in person, though.
DILG 7 information officer Michael Braga said they have not received the report from the Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office (Cpadao) yet.
“Just like in any case involving public officials found positive of illegal drugs, there will be due process for them. We will not act right away. There is a proper process for that,” he said.
The surprise drug tests were conducted by Cpadao from February until March 4. Testing positive for drug use were an SK chairperson and an SK councilor from Danao City, an SK chairperson in Oslob and an SK councilor in Carmen.
Rubio said the news casts a bad light on the youth organization.
“Yes, it is bad image because we are elected public servants. We are followed by the youth. We are the leaders of the youth. Then we lead in the problem which our President (Duterte) is trying to address and put focus on [drugs]),” he said.
Rubio admitted he has no program for fellow SK officials who are hooked on illegal drugs. That is why he will tap the Department of Health and Cpadao to help the SK officials.
Rubio will request Cpadao to conduct surprise drug tests on SK officials in the 51 local government units (LGUs) in Cebu Province because he believes there are SK officials who are still using illegal drugs.
As of March 4, about 1,171 individuals in different LGUs and government offices in the province have undergone surprise drug tests. (From SCG of SuperBalita Cebu, KAL)