• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The number of police officers that underwent drug testing in Western Visayas further increased to 11,219, as of August 11, with the number of those testing positive for use of illegal substance remaining at two, according to regional police spokesperson Maj. Socorro Grace Borio.
Borio said it represents 84.42 percent of the Police Regional Office 6 total strength of almost 14,000 personnel.
One of the two police personnel that tested positive for drug use is assigned with the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, PRO6 records showed.
Borio said that another set of 5,000 drug-test kits have been purchased by PRO 6, in order to subject all its personnel to drug testing.
The two police personnel, according to Borio, are undergoing investigation, with the possible maximum penalty being dismissal from the police service.
In a statement, PBrig. Gen, Sidney Villaflor, PRO 6 regional director, said that the drug testing of all police officers in Western Visayas is proof that he is absolutely serious to get rid of scalawags in the PNP.
“As law enforcers, we are not exempted from the scrutiny of the public. We need to have moral ascendancy in fighting illegal drugs. And since the government has provided us with funds, this initiative is the best way of using it judiciously,” Villaflor stressed.*
