ILOILO City – The police officers who tested positive for the use of illegal drugs in surprise drug tests are nowhere to be found – Corporal Joseph Vergara of the Candoni police station and Patrolman Nicolas Martinez of Binalbagan police station, both under the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO), and Police Staff Sergeant Ildefonso Dela Cruz of Dumangas police station under the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO).
The police officers were marked absent without official leave (AWOL) by the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6), according to spokesperson Police Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong.
The three were ordered to report to the PRO-6’s Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (PHAU) following the release of their test results but they did not show up.
Malong confirmed that Vergara and Dela Cruz were under summary dismissal proceedings while Martinez was under evaluation and would later face dismissal proceedings.
“They were given enough time to contest the result of the first drug test, but they went on AWOL instead. Once they are negative in their confirmatory test, the administrative case against them will be dropped and they can go back to their assignments,” Malong explained.
The other positive police officers contested the result and they are still waiting for the outcome. They are currently in RPHAU under restriction and were disarmed.
‘DRUG-FREE’ COMMAND
The surprise drug test was initiated by its director Police Brigadier General Rolando Miranda.
“I want PRO-6 to be a drug-free command,” Miranda told Panay News.
“We are serious about our internal cleansing program. Drug test is an internal cleansing process kasi gusto natin malinis ang ating mga pulis bago mag-operate sa illegal drugs…para may dignidad naman mga kapulisan namin,” he added.
Miranda ordered the 1,800 personnel assigned in drug enforcement units to undergo monthly drug testing.
As of this writing, around 50 percent of the PRO-6 police officers were already tested. For this month, 2,500 more police personnel will undergo random drug testing.
The PRO-6 had 13,000 police officers.
“There is no excuse for this drug test, even myself and my staff… Other police officials should also undergo testing,” Miranda stressed./PN
