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[av_heading heading=’Drivers’ group mulls drug tests ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY MERIANNE GRACE EREÑETA
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ILOILO City – The Iloilo City Loop Alliance of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (ICLAJODA) is willing to have all its members tested for illegal drug use.
The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) may foot the bill, said association president Raymundo Parcon.
“This is our way to assuring the public that our drivers are trustworthy, safe and drug-free,” he told Panay News.
In a recent meeting, according to Parcon, PRO-6 director Chief Superintendent Jose Gentiles told him the regional police office will take care of the drug test “tapos kami lang sa cups” for the drivers’ urine specimens.
Drivers who pass the test will be issued with a card indicating such. Parcon said the card will contain the driver’s name and photo.
A card will be valid for six months only. When it expires, the driver has to take another drug test.
Parcon said drivers who test positive of illegal drug use will undergo rehabilitation in Camp Delgado, the headquarters of the PRO-6.
ICLAJODA officers and Gentiles will be meeting on Nov.5 to finalize the drug testing.
Parcon said jeepney operators may also have themselves tested.
The PRO-6 is currently sponsoring a community-based rehabilitation program for drug surrenderees from six barangays in Iloilo City.
Around 60 drug dependents from barangays Concepcion, Rizal Ibarra, Zamora, Duran, Santo Rosario, and Dela Rama are covered.
Superintendent Gilbert Gorero, PRO-6 spokesperson, said the program will span three to six months.
“The first month is for rehabilitation,” said Gorero. “Kon makapasar sila, they will be given trainings [under] the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority asta nga indi na sila mangin drug dependents.”
Around 2,410 drug users and/or pushers here have surrendered to the police from July 1 (when Oplan Double Barrel, the police’s intensified antidrug campaign, was launched) to Oct. 3, PRO-6 records showed./PN
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