ILOILO City – Beginning next month, all city and provincial police directors, chiefs of drug enforcement teams and other police units would be subjected to mandatory drug tests, according to Police Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, regional police director.
On the other hand, there would be random drug tests for the rest of policemen under the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6), he said.
The mandatory and random drug tests were in line with the PRO-6 internal cleansing program, said Pamuspusan.
“Personnel who test positive for illegal drug use would be charged with conduct unbecoming of police officers. They face possible dismissal from the service,” said Pamuspusan yesterday.
By cleansing its ranks, the Philippine National Police is strengthening its credibility as law enforcer, he explained.
Pamuspusan lamented Saturday’s arrest of a policeman – who was taking a field training program (FTP) – in Bacolod City for using marijuana.
The policeman was Patrolman Bryn Jephthah Gimotea, 32, of Barangay 2, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental. He was caught in his boardinghouse in Barangay 37 by Police Senior Master Sergeant Emmanuel Alonsagay, field training officer of Police Station 1 in Bacolod City.
Alonsagay was checking the attendance of police officers undergoing the FTP; Gimotea was absent.
Alonsagay went to Gimotea’s boardinghouse and found the policeman there using marijuana.
Pamuspusan said Gimotea committed a “grave offense.”
“He will be dismissed from the police service. Drug users have no place in the police organization,” Pamuspusan added./PN
