PHILIPPINE National Police chief General Debold M. Sinas yesterday warned anew drug-using policemen that they will be facing immediate dismissal from the service and forfeiture of all government benefits due them aside from disqualification from holding any public office.
The PNP chief issued the stern warning after a member of the Police Regional Office 13 in Caraga region tested positive for substance abuse during a mandatory drug testing in Butuan City this week.
“I was informed that a police officer from Police Regional Office-13 tested positive for drug use during random drug testing early this week in Butuan City. I have ordered PRO13 director, Brigadier Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr. to expedite the pre-charge investigation and initiate summary dismissal proceedings against the drug-using cop,” said Gen. Sinas.
Brig. Gen. Caramat said that the unannounced drug test was administered to personnel stationed at the PRO13 Regional Headquarters in Camp Colonel.Rafael Rodriguez by personnel of the Regional Crime Laboratory Office 13 led by Captain Cindy Mahilig last Tuesday.
Caramat said that out of the 332 personnel tested, Corporal John Rey Ibasco, assigned with the Regional Logistics and Research Development Division 13, yielded positive result for drug use after confirmatory tests.
“I have ordered to expand random drug testing to all police personnel to rid the organization of drug-using cops. There is no place in the PNP for them,” said Gen. Sinas following the report from Caramat.
The PRO13 director immediately directed the head of RLRDD to disarm and place Cpl. Ibasco under restrictive custody to make him available for further investigation for dismissal from the service.
Gen. Sinas said that last year a total of 47 policemen who tested positive for substance abuse in 2020 were stripped of their government-issued firearms and badges and are now facing dismissal from the force., Philippine National Police chief, General Debold M. Sinas said.
The 25th PNP chief likewise assured the public anew that there is no room for drug-using policemen on the force and said that those who will be found using illegal substance and involved in other drug-related activities will find themselves facing the full brunt of the law.
Just like what he did when he was still the National Capital Region Police Office director, the 25th PNP chief wants a continuing random drug testing of his men as part of his effort to ferret out the “inept, corrupt and undisciplined” members of the force.
Last week the Journal Group learned that a 41-year-old policeman from Central Visayas became the 47th member of the PNP to test positive for substance abuse in 2020 and thus will be undergoing summary hearing procedure after being disarmed by his superiors.
According to the PNP chief, Corporal Manuel Paez of the PRO7 Recruitment and Selection Service tested positive for shabu during an initial screening of his urine specimen. A confirmatory test using the PNP Crime Laboratory’s GCSM machine yielded the same positive result, Gen. Sinas said.
