DILG requires mandatory drug test for all personnel
Published Dec 5, 2018 03:59 pm
By Chito Chavez
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has maintained that the mandatory drug tests for its personnel will spare no one and will even be administered to the agency’s top officials as a testament to the government’s all-out war against illegal drugs.
DILG officer-in-charge Eduardo M. Año
(DILG / MANILA BULLETIN) DILG Secretary Eduardo Año warned his men to shape up or ship out as the agency will continue to adopt the “one-strike policy” for officials and employees who are tested positive for illegal drugs. “No one is exempted from this drug testing in the department, not even the officials. We want to send a message that we ourselves are drug-free and we are ready to lead the anti-illegal drugs fight until the end,” Año said. Año noted the yearly mandatory drug testing covers all DILG local government sector officials and employees including personnel under job order and contract of service status. He added that it is also part of the department’s initial requirement for entry to government service for appointive officials and employees. In the event that a DILG official or employee yields positive test results, the concerned individual shall be given 15 days upon receipt of notice to challenge the result of the confirmatory test. In case of failure of the concerned employee to challenge the said test results within the prescribed period, he or she shall be subjected to appropriate sanctions. “Those personnel who yields positive drug testing results shall be charged with grave misconduct and be sanctioned with dismissal from service on the first offense,” Año said. The DILG chief added the positive drug test result shall be attached to the 201 file of the concerned DILG official or employee in a strictly confidential manner. Añoalso led recently the mandatory drug testingof 1,000 personnel at the DILG central office. Aside from Ano, DILG Undersecretary for Operations Epimaco V. Densing III, Undersecretary for Public Safety Nestor F. Quinsay, and Assistant Secretary for External and Legislative Affairs RicojudgeJanvier M. Echiverri also underwent the same test. This is the third time since 2016 that the DILG’s central office has conducted the annual mandatory drug testing procedures as part of the national government’s unwavering quest against illegal drugs.
DILG officer-in-charge Eduardo M. Año(DILG / MANILA BULLETIN) DILG Secretary Eduardo Año warned his men to shape up or ship out as the agency will continue to adopt the “one-strike policy” for officials and employees who are tested positive for illegal drugs. “No one is exempted from this drug testing in the department, not even the officials. We want to send a message that we ourselves are drug-free and we are ready to lead the anti-illegal drugs fight until the end,” Año said. Año noted the yearly mandatory drug testing covers all DILG local government sector officials and employees including personnel under job order and contract of service status. He added that it is also part of the department’s initial requirement for entry to government service for appointive officials and employees. In the event that a DILG official or employee yields positive test results, the concerned individual shall be given 15 days upon receipt of notice to challenge the result of the confirmatory test. In case of failure of the concerned employee to challenge the said test results within the prescribed period, he or she shall be subjected to appropriate sanctions. “Those personnel who yields positive drug testing results shall be charged with grave misconduct and be sanctioned with dismissal from service on the first offense,” Año said. The DILG chief added the positive drug test result shall be attached to the 201 file of the concerned DILG official or employee in a strictly confidential manner. Añoalso led recently the mandatory drug testingof 1,000 personnel at the DILG central office. Aside from Ano, DILG Undersecretary for Operations Epimaco V. Densing III, Undersecretary for Public Safety Nestor F. Quinsay, and Assistant Secretary for External and Legislative Affairs RicojudgeJanvier M. Echiverri also underwent the same test. This is the third time since 2016 that the DILG’s central office has conducted the annual mandatory drug testing procedures as part of the national government’s unwavering quest against illegal drugs.