SOME 363 rookie police officers on Field Training Program (FTP) underwent a surprise drug test on Tuesday, October 1, 2019 at the Police Regional Office (PRO) Caraga.
PRO Caraga Regional Director Brigadier General Joselito Esquivel Jr. ordered the drug test to a total of 363 police trainees under the FTP after a rookie policeman was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Bading, Butuan City on September 28.
“Under my watch, I will make sure those members of the Philippine National Police Caraga are drug-free and have no involvement in any illegal activities while enforcing the law against illegal drugs. It is also one of my ways of cleaning the ranks to live up to its drive of excellent, disciplined and professional police officers,” Esquivel said.
Esquivel said that there will be continuous drug-testing for all police personnel in the region.
“If in case a police officer will be found positive in a drug test then he will have to face dismissal from service. But of course, they will undergo investigation and due process. I guess there is no reason for a police officer to have a positive result in the drug test,” he said.
Last week, personnel of Butuan City Police Station 2 Drug Enforcement Unitand Butuan City Mobile Force Company arrested three male persons who were having a pot session in P-3A, Barangay Bading, Butuan City.
Police arrested Oscar Tayom Miñoza, 25, male, a resident of P-3, Libertad, Butuan City; Ramer Batolanon David, 26, male, a resident of P-2A, Bading, Butuan City; and Junel Ecleo Payosing, 28, a resident of Phase1 Block 29, Lot 14, Emily Homes Subdivision, Butuan City.
Payosing is a police trainee, a member of Class Makislab 2018-01 and presently undergoing FTP.
Payosing is now detained at the Butuan City Police Office and will face criminal and administrative cases. He is also dismissed from police service.