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[av_heading heading=’ Budget concerns impede brgy drug testing in Capiz’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENN VIDAL BEUP
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Friday, April 28, 2017
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ROXAS City – Only three out of the 473 barangays in Capiz province have conducted mandatory drug testing among their officials, records from the Liga ng mga Barangay provincial chapter showed.
Budgetary problems are facing villages that have not yet complied with a Liga regional chapter resolution “urging all barangay officials [in] Region 6 to undergo mandatory drug testing,” according to provincial chapter president Lilia Agana-Demalata.
Demalata, chairwoman of Barangay Balatucan, Panitan town, herself has yet to comply with the resolution.
“I intend to undergo the test on May 11,” Demalata told this reporter. “We are busy preparing for the Regional Congress (of the Liga).”
Liga ng mga Barangay Region 6 issued the resolution in support to the Duterte administration’s antidrug campaign.
All three compliant barangays, as shown in Liga-Capiz records as of April 25, were from this component city. Not one barangay from the municipalities have complied with the resolution, records showed.
Milibili and Cagay led by barangay chairmen Medelo Ocampo and Moreno Gonzaga, respectively, were the first to comply. Elected and appointed barangay officials tested negative for drug use.
Meanwhile Elvis Asis, chairman of Barangay Lawaan, was forced to submit himself to drug testing after a resident accused him of being a drug user. He also tested negative for drug use.
In a related development, 44 barangay chairpersons in Roxas City submitted urine samples for drug testing at the City Health Office on Thursday.
Budget for the mandatory drug testing is a “main concern” of the barangays, especially those with a small Internal Revenue Allotment, Demalata told this reporter.
“I will secure the Commission on Audit’s opinion [on] this … so that our barangays [will be] properly guided [on] where to charge the amount [needed for drug testing],” the Liga provincial chapter president said.
“Mandatory drug testing is a requirement for elected and appointed barangay officials,” she added. “We hope that, by end of May, all barangay officials in the entire province are 100-percent compliant.”/PN
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