Six More Brgy. Workers Found Positive

The total number of barangay workers in Cebu City who tested positive for illegal drug use has already reached 173, after six more personnel from Barangays Busay and Pasil were proven positive for using shabu when they were subjected to surprise drugtest yesterday.

Dr. Alice Utlang, head of the Cebu City Office for Substance-Abuse Prevention (COSAP), said there were 4,022 barangay officials and employees from the 50 of the 80 barangays in the city that were subjected to drug test this year.

Utlang said her personnel first arrived in Barangay Pasil yesterday morning and conducted surprise drug test to 76 barangay workers as requested by Barangay Captain Julius Guioguio.

The barangay captain said there are over 80 personnel in his barangay, but only 76 of them were present in yesterday’s drugtest. Utlang said those found positive in Barangay Pasil includes two tanods and three other barangay workers.

Guioguio, a neophyte barangay captain, said he wants the to terminate the five workers to give lesson to other employees that he will not condone illegal activities.

Barangay Pasil, one of the coastal barangays in Cebu City, is categorized by the police as seriously affected of illegal drugs because of the presence of several drug personalities in said barangay.

From Barangay Pasil, the COSAP personnel then went to Barangay Busay, one of the city’s mountain barangays to conduct a similar drug test as requested by Barangay Captain Amilo Lopez.

Of the 54 barangay workers tested, a tanod has been found positive for using shabu.

Mayor Michael Rama earlier suggested that the barangay officials should not tolerate drug-using employees, meaning those tested positive of illegal drugs shall be immediately terminated.

There were nine City Hall employees who were also tested positive when they were subjected to drug test and all of them had been terminated already, said personnel chief Dominic Diño.