BAGUIO CITY – Regional and city police authorities were elated after police officials and operatives who were subjected to undergo surprise drug tests over the week tested negative of the use of prohibited drugs.
Chief Superintendent Ullysses Abellera, regional director of the Police Regional Office (P|RO) in the Cordillera, cited the negative results of the recent drug tests conducted on commissioned and non-commissioned officers of the PRO-COR only shows the dedication of the law enforcers in the performance of their assigned duties and responsibilities and shying away from the use of prohibited drugs that might compromise their success in the profession.
“We are happy that no policeman in the regional headquarters tested positive on the use of illegal drugs but we will continue the conduct of surprise drug tests among our personnel down to the station level to remind them not to be involved in the use of illegal drugs which might compromise their future and affect their credibility as law enforcers,” Abellera stressed.
It can be recalled that President-elect Rodrigo Duterte announced his unrelenting and uncompromising campaign against illegal drugs when he assumes his post as the Chief Executive in order to spare today’s youth from the serious negative effects of taking in illegal drugs and contribute in improving the country’s peace and order situation considering that illegal drugs has been identified as one of the root causes of crimes nationwide.
For his part, Senior Superintendent George D. Daskeo, acting city director of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO), also reported that the recent surprise drug test conducted on officers and personnel turned out to be negative, saying that it only shows that members of Baguio’s Finest are not using prohibited drugs.
However, he said that the conduct of surprise drug tests will be continuously done even down to the station levels so that law enforcers who are using illegal drugs will be given the appropriate disciplinary action by higher authorities.
“Our police force should be the role model in the campaign against the use of illegal drugs that is why no policeman should be involved in the use of drugs so that they will have the moral ascendancy to disciple civilians who are involved in the use of drugs. We should not allow the public to doubt our anti-illegal drug campaign that is why we want to cleanse our ranks first,” Daskeo said.
The surprise drug test in BCPO was done over the week in order to remind the local police force of the stern warning of the President-elect against law enforcers involved in the illegal trade for them to shape out or ship out.
Both police officials reiterated the reminders to their respective personnel to shy away from the use of illegal drugs so that they will be able to properly implement pertinent laws, rules and regulations in relation to the campaign of the PNP against the proliferation of illegal drugs in their respective areas of jurisdiction pursuant to the marching orders of the President-elect for a drug-free community and nation.
By Dexter A. See
