SOME 307 policemen detailed at the drugs enforcement team of different towns and cities in Negros Occidental are targeted to undergo mandatory drug test before the week ends to ensure that they are free from illegal drug use.
Lt. Judesses Catalogo, spokesperson of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo), said that of the target, 105 have actually undergone drug test earlier this week.
Aside from them, another 52 policemen assigned at the Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. in Bacolod City were also randomly picked to undergo the drug test, Catalogo said.
“The results will be released next week and they cannot refuse,” he said, adding that those who want to beg off should submit a letter of explanation or they will face administrative charges.
Catalogo explained that once personnel yielded positive for illegal drug use, he or she will be subjected to a confirmatory test at her or his own expense.
While waiting for the result of the confirmatory test, the police personnel will be placed under restrictive custody, the Nocppo spokesperson noted.
Under the Philippine National Police (PNP) rules, if the confirmatory test also yields positive results, formal charges will be filed which could result in dismissal from service.
Last month, 99 policemen of Nocppo also underwent drug tests and they all yielded negative results.*