19 Capitol employees test positive for illegal drugs

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• GILBERT P. BAYORAN

Nineteen employees of the Negros Occidental provincial government tested positive for use of illegal drugs, based on the results of the mandatory drug test conducted in December.

Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II said on Monday (Jan. 13) that three of them are regular employees, 10 are job order and contract of service workers, and six are guards of a security agency contracted by the provincial government.

A total of 1,800 employees were subjected to drug test last month on orders of Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson aimed at ensuring a drug-free workplace.

Diaz said that the contracts of the job order and contract of service workers were not renewed for January.

He also said the results of the three regular workers will be subjected to confirmatory testing.

“They can opt to undergo rehabilitation, if they want to be reinstated. Otherwise, we will file charges for grave misconduct against them,” he added.

As to the six security guards, Diaz said they will inform the security agency that they should not be assigned at the provincial government facilities.

In 2023, 20 provincial government employees also tested positive for use of illegal drugs. | GB