Davao City – Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte has asked the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to widen their anti-illegal drugs investigation among city government offices.
“Girequest namo sa ilaha nga kung pwede palapdan nila ang imbestigasyon sa occurrence sa people involved sa drugs diri sa City Government of Davao,” Mayor Sara said over Davao City Disaster Radio on Friday.
This is after Al Sherwin Ng, 40 years old, a driver assigned to the City Treasurer’s Office, was nabbed in a buy-bust operation conducted by the Talomo Police Station Drug Enforcement Unit on December 16. A shabu wrapped in a candy wrapper was recovered from the apprehended person.
Mayor Sara was disappointed about the incident, saying, “there are still government employees who choose to get involved in illegal activities despite the efforts of the city to give them benefits”.
“In a way, maka-sad because dunay ingon ana nga mga city government employees nga bisan pa man og unsa ang pagpaningkamot sa city government para sa ilahang mga benepisyo, sa ilahang mga sweldo and making them happy employees, duna gihapon mga tao who will go to the other side—didtoa sa side sa krimen,” she added.
Following the incident, Mayor Sara disclosed that anti-drug activities and efforts for city government employees are lined up by the Davao City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) to make city government offices drug-free workplaces that includes random drug testing for all city personnel.
Just recently, she revealed that random drug testing was conducted on Barangay Auxiliaries in some barangays. Although they are not employed by the city, this is to make sure that all the government funds used for their honoraria will not go to illegal activities.
“Nagpahigayon ang atoang anti-drug abuse council og drug test sa ilaha and dunay lima (5) ka nakita nga nagpositive although wala pa ang ilahang confirmatory test. Ginabuhat pud ni sa atoang Anti-Drug Abuse Council to make sure nga kanang kwarta sa gobyerno nga gihatag sa ilaha as ilahang allowance or honorarium, dili mapadulong sa binuang,” the mayor said.
In 2013, Ordinance No. 0506-13 which mandates all establishments to craft a Drug-Free workplace policy and the program was passed according to the provisions of Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and the Department of Labor and Employment Department Order No. 53-03, Series of 2003.
In 2018, Mayor Sara issued Executive Order No. 32 providing for the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the said ordinance. (City Information Office)