Second drug test clears chief

A VILLAGE chief in Cebu City who had tested positive for illegal drug use last October tested negative during the confirmatory test administered recently.

A private drug testing laboratory found no trace of any illegal substance when they tested Busay Barangay Captain Amilo Lopez.

The Cebu City Office of Substance Abuse Prevention (Cosap) sent Lopez’s urine sample to Manila for the confirmatory test.

It was the same urine sample taken from him last Oct. 20 when Cosap conducted a surprise drug test on around 60 barangay captains during the third quarter general assembly of the Association of Barangay Councils.

During the first test, Lopez was the only one who tested positive for the illegal substance.

Dr. Alice Utlang, chief of Cosap, said she has yet to read and forward to Lopez the copy of the result of the confirmatory test since she was on leave yesterday.

However, Utlang added that she was already informed by the personnel of the laboratory about the result.

“I was informed by my staff that the result was sent to my office yesterday (Tuesday) but I’m still on leave. I was told by the laboratory personnel that it’s negative,” Utlang said.

Utlang said they will honor the result of the confirmatory test.

Before his urine sample was submitted to the laboratory accredited by Cosap, Lopez submitted himself to another drug test in a private drug testing center immediately after the first test. He tested negative also.

Lopez has already clarified that he is not a drug dependent and has never abused drugs.

When sought for comment on the new development, Lopez said the damage has been done.

“Maka bayad gyod sila ug mahal sa ilang pagpakaowaw nako kay di na nila madali ug pauli ang akong ngalan nga naguba, akong barangay nga naowawan. Hangtod karon, di pa ko katarong ug tulog (They are going to pay for the way they’ve humiliated me. It will not be easy to restore my good name or recover from the shame that my barangay suffered. Until now, I still have trouble sleeping),” he said.

Lopez said the controversy has already affected his family. It has also affected his duties and functions as barangay captain because he has felt ashamed.

Busay Barangay Councilor Eliodoro “Yody” Sanchez seconded the statement of Lopez, saying it has already affected the barangay’s campaign against illegal drugs.

“There were residents who were supposed to report to the barangay about the illegal drug trade in their area but had second thoughts of doing it because of the controversy,” he said.

Sanchez said he is happy that Lopez’s name was cleared.