Drug traces in 23 City employees

Quisumbing says Mandaue City Hall workers who tested positive for drugs will be asked to pay for their confirmatory test

At least 23 employees of the Mandaue City Government now face a choice: keep working and submit themselves to a second drug test, or give up their City Hall jobs. Since last week, 23 were found positive of illegal drugs—8 of them yesterday and 15 others last week—in surprise tests conducted by the City Health Office. The confirmatory tests are supposed to be done at the employees’ expense. Mayor Luigi Quisumbing said that the Department of Health (DOH) has provided 3,500 drug kits to the City for the employees’ tests.

Twenty-three employees of the Mandaue City Hall must decide whether to resign or to submit themselves to a confirmatory test, after they were found positive of drug use in separate surprise drug examinations.

These 23 employees were the ones who underwent the initial test yesterday and last week. In yesterday’s test, eight of them tested positive, while 15 did so in last week’s examination.

Yesterday, the City Health Office (CHO), in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH), conducted the drug screening at the City Session Hall.

Employees earlier received a memorandum requiring them to attend a meeting at the session hall.

City Administrator Danilo Almendras said that there were 308 workers who were given the memo, but only 282 showed up. The 26 workers will be asked to explain their absence.

During the drug test, there were initially eight persons whose result showed that they were positive of using illegal drugs.

Almendras said they were workers assigned in the Housing Urban and Development Office, City Assessor’s Office, City Treasurer Office, Office of the Strategic Management, and City Planning and Development Office.

Almendras, however, said that he still has to find out if these personnel are regular, casual or job-order employees.

Last week, 15 of the 415 employees of the Department of General Services tested positive for drug use.

Mayor Luigi Quisumbing said that the DOH provided 3,500 drug kits to the City for the employees’ test.

“We told them ( job-order and casual employees) that if they are found positive, they can choose to immediately resign or submit themselves to a confirmatory test in a facility accredited by the DOH at their own expense,” he said.

These City Hall employees may continue to work while waiting for the results of their confirmatory test.

“If they have money for drugs then why can’t they have money for the confirmatory drug test?” said Quisumbing when asked if an employee cannot afford to pay for the test.

For regular employees who will be found positive, Quisumbing said that there is a system that is prescribed by the Civil Service Commission.