OROQUIETA CITY, Misamis Occidental, Sept. 12 (PNA) – Senior Supt. Archival Macala, provincial police director, has ordered all police chiefs to conduct random drug testing on policemen in their respective areas.
Macala’s order was in line with the directive of Chief Supt. Lyndel Desquitado, Police Regional Office-10 (PRO-10) director, to cleanse the region’s police of uniformed and non-uniformed personnel involved in drug use and coddling prohibited drug traders.
Macala’s office covers the 14 municipalities and three cities–Oroquieta, Ozamis, and Tangub–of this province.
Macala said that there were uniformed and non-uniformed personnel under his office who were being monitored and under evaluation.
He said anyone among those being monitored turn out using prohibited drugs and coddle prohibited drug traders would be investigated, charged and dismissed from service once found guilty.
He said so far a policeman assigned in town of Aloran, this province, faced charges for use of prohibited drugs and robbery after the latter was arrested in a recent buy-bust operation.
He said that another policeman assigned with the provincial headquarters was detained at the Provincial Reformatory and Rehabilitation Center.
The policeman was arrested in an anti-drug operation by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
In the entire region, there were 36 policemen found positive for prohibited drug use following the series conduct of drug test.
Of the total, 15 were already ordered dismissed from service.
The conduct of random drug testing is part of the internal cleansing program of Desquitado. (PNA)