• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Majority of the 27 provincial government employees of Negros Occidental, who were tested positive for drug use, were either job order (JO) or contract of service (COS) workers, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said Monday, Jan. 8.
Lacson said their job contracts were not renewed.
He added that he is now consulting the Provincial Legal Office on how to deal with the regular employees who also tested positive.
“This is a warning that anytime, there can be a random drug test, and we will deal with them accordingly,” the governor said.
Some 27 employees of the San Carlos City government in Negros Occidental also tested positive for drug use, majority of whom were JO and COS workers.
Mayor Renato Gustilo earlier said that he has terminated the employment of JO and COS workers whose results came out positive.
Meanwhile, 30 watchmen of the provincial government, who were either JO or COS workers, also lost their jobs.
Lacson said it was based on their job performance.
“We will hire replacements if there is a need. If we can do without, that is savings,” he added. | GB
