The Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO-6) has procured 5,000 kits for the drug tests on organic personnel aimed at making sure that they are free from any involvement in illegal drugs to achieve a drug-free workplace. ‘Only the official drug test result shall tell officially if one is using illegal drugs,” said PRO-6 acting regional director Brig. Gen. Sidney N. Villaflor during the presentation of drug kits to the media at the regional headquarters on Monday. The conditional random testing shall cover commissioned and non-commissioned officers, including non-uniform personnel (NUP) in various units in Western Visayas this 2023. It will start at the regional headquarters followed by provincial and city police offices up to the farthest and last station of PRO-6 to make sure that all personnel are covered, Villaflor said. It is conditional random since the planned drug test is already made public but its date remains confidential, he said. Those who evade the drug test will be made to explain but they will also be given another chance to undergo the test. Anyone with a positive result will undergo validation, which when confirmed will result in dismissal from the service. “This is my way of checking my personnel’s integrity and commitment to their sworn duty. As law enforcers, they must have moral ascendancy as they do their best in our war against illegal drugs,” he said. Villaflor said the regional headquarters will purchase more test kits once the 5,000 are utilized. The test kits were purchased using the Philippine Anti-Drug Strategy (PADS) Fund. Since Villaflor assumed post last May 24, a total of 274 personnel have already been tested which all turned out negative. The tests were conducted during a conference with regional command groups and command visits to city and provincial police offices. PRO-6 has 13,362 personnel, including NUPs in various offices and police units regionwide.
Source: Philippines News Agency