By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Seven traffic enforcers in Negros Occidental’s Silay City were fired on Tuesday, July 11, after they tested positive for illegal drugs.

Silay Mayor Joedith Gallego said they conducted a surprise drug test, similar to what is also being implemented by the police, for 99 traffic enforcers and 150 city government employees on Monday, July 10.

The enforcers who tested positive for illegal drugs were casual employees hired after Gallego stepped into office.

Some were hired during the previous administration.

Gallego issued a warning to all city employees not to engage in any illegal activities, especially on illegal drugs, as he would not hesitate to remove them if they were caught.

He added that this will not be the last time that they will conduct surprise drug testing.

The drug test was in response to two city government job order employees who were arrested in a drug buy-bust operation.

Silay City police arrested 43-year-old Richard Valenzuela and 30-year-old Romel Nerio last week.

Valenzuela was also identified as a high-value individual.

Recovered from them were 13 grams of suspected shabu worth P88,400, and drug paraphernalia./DGB, WDJ