By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

A total of 87 employees of the San Carlos City government in Negros Occidental were subjected to a surprise drug test on Friday, November 27.

The employees are permanent and job order (JO) from the City Engineering Office (CEO) and the public market and the city slaughterhouse.

Ana Liza Macaraya Maranda of the San Carlos City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (SCCADAC) said the 87 employees were part of the second batch subjected to drug tests.

An earlier batch of 71 employees also from the CEO were also subjected to a surprise drug test last November 20.

Maranda said the drug test is part of the efforts of the city government led by Mayor Renato Gustilo “to cleanse city hall.”

The mayor does not tolerate employees involved in illegal drugs, she said.

“The city government is advocating a drug-free workplace in accordance with the mandate of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, the city ordinance and the Civil Service Commission,” she pointed out.

Permanent city employees who tested positive for illegal drugs will undergo confirmatory testing while JOs will be automatically cut off from work with the city government, she said.

Maranda added that so far the drug testing yielded one positive./DGB, WDJ