• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Four of the 674 employees of the La Carlota City government who underwent drug testing, turned out positive for use of illegal substances, Mayor Rex Jalando-on revealed yesterday.
Those who tested positive were all regular employees of the city government, Jalando-on said.
He, however, said that the results of the drug testing will still be subject to confirmatory testing.
If it yields a negative result, Jalando-on said they will still be assessed on their drug dependency, before undergoing a drug rehabilitation program.
The drug testing of employees, according to the mayor, is in compliance with City Ordinance No. 2922-011 that mandates a drug- free work place in offices of the city government.
At least 800 more La Carlota City hall job order employees are next to be undergo drug testing, Jalando-on said.
In previous months, 39 employees of the Silay City government and four job order workers of Don Salvador Benedicto, all in Negros Occidental, also tested positive for use of illegal drugs.*