BACOLOD City – The Negros Occidental provincial government played down the positive drug tests of its 20 employees.
Earlier this month, 2,300 of the around 4,000 capitol employees underwent drug testing.
Of the 20 who flunked the test, 19 tested positive for shabu and one for marijuana.
Sixteen other workers had traces of shabu in their urine sample.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday said the number is not alarming.
The employment status of the drug-positive employees has not yet been divulged by the provincial government, although it was known that job order (JO) and contract of service (CoS) employees are set to end their work contracts by Dec. 31.
Lacson also said the drug-positive employees will face penalties.
As of this writing, the results of the confirmatory tests have yet to be released.
The governor said they will try to release the results before this year ends.
Earlier, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said JO and CoS employees who will test positive for drug use will not have their work contracts renewed.
Regular employees, meanwhile, who may test positive for drug use will likely undergo administrative hearings. (Watchmen Daily Journal)/PN
