57 OFFICIALS UNDERGO SURPRISE DRUG TEST
City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention vows not to divulge the names of village chiefs who are found positive for drug use, if there are any, until the results will be subjected to a confirmatory test. Cosap schedules another drug test today for the 2
Saying he was “traumatized” by last year’s drug test, a Cebu City village chief wants to undergo a separate test that will be administered by a different government-run drug testing center.
The City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (Cosap) conducted a surprise drug test among the barangay captains during the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) meeting yesterday afternoon.
Busay Barangay Captain Amilo Lopez requested not to join Cosap’s drug test, saying he got a “phobia” after what happened to him last time.
“I am requesting if I could have myself tested in a different center. If possible, I would like to ask Councilor Dave Tumulak to accompany me and stand as my witness. I am planning on taking the drug test on Thursday,” he said.
Lopez tested positive for illegal drug use during a surprise test administered by Cosap last October.
He, however, tested negative in the confirmatory test conducted by a private laboratory in Manila a month after the controversy sparked. Cosap sent to Manila the same urine sample taken from Lopez.
As of 5 p.m. yesterday, 57 out of the 80 village chiefs were tested, including suspended Ermita Barangay Captain Felicisimo Rupinta.
ABC President Philip Zafra, in an interview, said he invited all the barangay captains to a meeting to discuss several concerns, including their meeting with Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director General Isidro Lapeña on March 30.
Zafra said he only informed the barangay officials about the drug test when they were already at the Senior Citizens building in the South Road Properties.
Unlike in the previous drug tests, the barangay captains were immediately informed of the result. Cosap head Dr. Alice Utlang, Zafra and Tumulak served as witnesses.
The move, Utlang said, was to show to the barangay captains that there were no manipulations in the drug test results.
“This time also, we will not be disclosing how many of the village chiefs will be found initially positive of illegal drugs use. We’ll just wait for the results of the confirmatory test before announcing anything,” she said.
As to the 23 barangay captains who were unable to take the test, Utlang said Cosap will administer a separate drug test for them today.
Absent in yesterday’s ABC meeting were the barangay captains of Babag, Guadalupe, Kalunasan, Pamutan, San Nicolas Proper, Tagbao, Mambaling, Apas, Banilad, Captiol Site, Cogon Ramos, Labangon, Kalubihan, Kamputhaw, Kasambagan, Lorega, Mabolo, Pahina Central, San Roque, Talamban, Taptap and Tejero.