• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
After being tested negative for use of illegal substances, the eight officers of the Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees (PACE) who voluntarily underwent drug testing on August 9, rallied Negros Occidental provincial government employees to also voluntarily undergo drug test.
Eight of the 11 PACE officers, led by its president, Engr. Ruben Diamante, submitted themselves to a drug test on Wednesday, conducted by Drug Point, a government-accredited laboratory.
“Let us not wait anymore to be forced or randomly tested. We should subject ourselves to whatever policies the provincial government will implement with regards to drug tests,” he pointed out.
Diamante said their voluntary drug test is in compliance of a resolution they passed on Aug. 4 to show that Capitol employees are “drug free.”
“We hope that this will serve as an example to the other employees of the provincial government to also submit themselves to drug tests,” he further said, in answer to the call to have a “drug-free workforce at the Capitol.”
Diamante added that PACE paid for the drug test at P200 per head.
“Nobody forced us. We voluntarily want this,” he stressed.
Diamante said they also received unconfirmed reports that employees are allegedly involved in illegal drugs, either as users or pushers.
“That is the reason why as officers of the union we are setting the example to other employees,” he also said.*
