By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

At least 12 government employees in Negros Occidental’s San Carlos City tested positive for illegal drug use.

San Carlos Mayor Renato Gustilo said of the 98 employees who underwent random drug testing on Thursday, November 23, 12 have tested positive for illegal drugs.

Of the number, 10 were job order workers, while two were regular employees.

Ana Luza Macaraya, San Carlos City Anti-Drug Abuse Council secretariat, said the job order employees who tested positive for substance use will be automatically discharged from work, while regular employees will undergo disciplinary actions depending on the result of the drug dependency examination under the guidelines of the Civil Service Commission.

In July, a job order city government employee was dismissed after testing positive for illegal drugs.

The employee was immediately forwarded to the City Health Office for further assessment and underwent drug rehabilitation./DGB, WDJ