OVER 1,000 cadets, training instructors and other personnel of the Philippine National Police Academy were subjected to a mandatory drug testing following a mauling incident that rocked the institution on New Year’s Eve leading to the identification of a job-order employee as a drug user, PNP chief, General Debold M. Sinas told the Journal Group yesterday.
The drug testing came in the wake of the discovery that one member of the PNPA Class 2021 tested positive for shabu when he and all his classmates who will be graduating this coming March were ordered to submit their urine specimen last week.
Sinas, citing a report from PNPA director, Brigadier Gen. Rhoderick C. Armamento said that subjected to a drug testing the other day were 817 PNPA cadets, 44 Police Commissioned Officers, 44 Police Non-Commissioned Officers, 12 Non-Uniformed Personnel and 148 civilian/Job Order employees.
Of the 1,065 tested, by officers from the PNP Crime Laboratory National Headquarters Drug Test Team and the Regional Crime Laboratory Office 4-A, only job-order employee Zepther Samonte tested positive for substance abuse while all the rest were negative for drugs.
The civilian will be terminated from the PNPA and will be facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Armamento likewise said that they have identified and arrested the one who supplied the shabu used by Cadet 1st Class John David Macagba.
The accused identified as Diosdado Reyes, a 25-year old PNPA job-order employee is now undergoing criminal investigation.
Armamento said that during questioning, Macagba confessed that he bought P3,000 worth of the so-called ‘poor man’s cocaine’ from Reyes who stays at the PNPA Mess Hall Quarters. Reyes will also undergo a drug test.
“Follow-up operations are still underway to identify and arrest the main source of shabu being sold by Reyes,” said the PNPA director.
The 1,065 PNPA cadets and personnel were subjected to a mandatory drug test following a mauling incident inside the PNPA headquarters in Silang, Cavite on New Year’s Eve which initially triggered the drug testing of all members of the graduating PNPA Class of 2021.
Sinas said he has ordered the immediate pre-charge investigation and conduct of summary dismissal proceedings on Macagba following the release of the result of drug test conducted on the graduating PNPA cadets.
According to PNP Crime Laboratory director, Brig. Gen. Steve B. Ludan, 260 out of the 262 members of PNPA Class 2021 were required to submit their urine specimen during an unannounced drug testing.
The two who are yet to be subjected to a drug test are the mauling victim and his buddy who are both still in the hospital.
Ludan said that of the 260 tested, only Macagba tested positive for traces of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu during an initial screening test.
Sinas said that the three cadets involved in the mauling of Cadet 1st Class Joab Mar Nacnas are set to be dismissed from the Academy and won’t be able to graduate this coming March.
“I have directed the PNPA director to process the immediate termination of the three within his level. All three have been detained and charged with physical injuries. All were subjected to a drug test with negative result but were positive for alcohol breath, thus they will be discharged for grave misconduct,” said the PNP chief.
Armamento was ordered by the PNP chief to follow the proper procedures in dismissing the cadets to prevent them from being able to return to the Academy in the future due to technicalities.
Armamento said that at around 11 p.m. last Thursday, Dulansi and two of his classmates identified as Cadets 1st Class Guminigin and Tudlong were found by Nacnas drinking alcoholic beverage at the roof deck of their building located at the PNPA compound in Silang, Cavite.
When Nacnas cautioned the trio, a heated argument ensued between him and Dulansi leading to the mauling incident.
Nacnas was rushed by a PNPA ambulance to the nearby Qualimed Hospital for treatment where he was declared in stable condition two hours later. Armamento said Nacnas did not show any sign of internal injury based on CT scan and X-ray examinations conducted on him.
Cadet Dulansi was turned over to the Silang Municipal Police Station for investigation and filing of criminal charges for serious physical injury and grave threats.
