Central Visayas’ Top Cop Backs Random Drug Testing in Schools

The highest-ranked police official in Central Visayas on Monday expressed support for the plan to conduct random drug testing among students in public junior and senior high schools.

Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 (Central Visayas) chief, said students in junior and senior high schools are the ones targeted by drug syndicates to make them either drug users, traders, or couriers.

“Those who are in high school, especially those who are in Grades 11 and 12 are being exposed to drugs and become users and addicts by themselves,” Sinas said in a radio interview, explaining the police’s recent anti-drug operations that yielded young traders and users.

Sinas said he agreed with the view that those who are still in the elementary level are just children who could not ascertain responsibility of their actions.

“Kasi murag tinuod man nga ang elementary, mga bata pa, basig ma-harass. Wala kahibalo ang bata nga nagduladula unta, makabalo lang hinuon siya (It’s true that those who are still in the elementary years are just children who might get harassed. They may have not known what they do, but may eventually know about drugs if they undergo drug test),” the regional director of PRO-7 said.

Sinas’ reaction came after the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Central Visayas, through their information officer, Leia Albiar, said the Department of Education (DepEd) should be tasked to conduct random drug testing to high school students.

The drug testing to be done among the youth is a matter that should be left best to an agency who handles them, said Albiar.

According to Albiar, school has a different environment.

However, the PDEA-7 will provide the needed drug testing kits and recording of the outcome of the random drug testing, she said.

While he is amenable to the idea, Sinas said the PRO-7 will not get involved in drug testing activity for high school students here.

The regional director of PRO-7 also urged school administrators to institutionalize anti-drug monitoring in their school premises and track down students who already fell prey to drug syndicates. (PNA)