3 Davao City workers sacked for testing positive for illegal drugs

DAVAO CITY – The city government here has sacked three of its own workers after they tested positive for illegal drug use.

This was announced by the City Information Office (CIO) Friday, with Michael Denton Aportadera, the action officer of the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC), disclosing that the erring employees were the only ones who tested positive out of the 1,127 city workers who have undergone random drug tests since last month.

Mandatory random testing was conducted on orders of Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who had, herself, undergone a test. She warned that she will order the immediate termination of any city hall employee who will test positive for illegal drugs.

Aportadera said results of the confirmatory tests conducted on the three employees showed there were traces of illegal substances in their urine samples.

Citing the Civil Service Law, he said drug users in the government should face termination from service.

“Mayor Sara wanted to ensure that government employees are living healthy lifestyles and that they are not users of illegal drugs,” he said.

Duterte said they needed to show to the public “that we are leading by example.”

“We will look into their records and maybe we can put them under the rehabilitation program of the city government or they will be terminated,” she said.

Earlier, Carpio and her brother, Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, volunteered to undergo the drug testing. Both tested negative.

Aportadera said there will be succeeding tests that will eventually cover all 12,000 employees of the city government.