SIXTEEN policemen and a non-uniformed employee of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) have tested positive for illegal drugs, NCRPO Chief Debold Sinas said on Thursday, September 3.
They were among the 20,231 NCRPO personnel who underwent random drug testing from October 12, 2019 to September 1, 2020.
On August 30, three of the 260 personnel who underwent a random drug test yielded positive results for the presence of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu).
Their urine samples were subjected to confirmatory tests using GCMS test and the results were again positive.
Sinas identified the three as Patrolman Robert Lozano Buenavente, Patrolman Marcos Guillermo Laggui and Lucia Agtalao, who is a contractual employee.
Sinas said personnel with positive confirmatory tests were immediately relieved and their issued firearms and other government issuances were recalled.
He said they were coordinating with the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG-NCR) to determine the source of illegal drugs, their network and companions.
Sinas also said appropriate charges were filed against the policemen with positive drug test results and follow-up investigations were being conducted.
"The NCRPO unceasingly cleanses its ranks of those who taint its image. We have successfully separated our colleagues who use illegal drugs from those who are performing their tasks. Rest assured that we will not stop in this quest," Sinas said. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo/SunStar Philippines)