The head of the Drug Enforcement Unit of the Zamboanga City Police is facing dismissal after he tested positive during the surprise drug test.
Gen. Debold Sinas, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said Maj. Jivertson D Pelovello, was already sacked from his post and reassigned to the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Section of Police Regional Office 9 while undergoing pre-charge investigation and summary dismissal proceedings.
“Anybody who will test positive for drug use does not deserve to stay in the service any minute longer,” said Sinas.
On December 18 last year, 60 personnel of the Zamboanga City Police Office were subjected to mandatory drug tests as part of the PNP’s efforts to purge its ranks of drug users. Included in the surprise drug test were the 12 City DEU personnel headed by Pelovello.
Pelovello tested positive and as a matter of policy, his urine samples were subjected to a confirmatory test of the Crime Laboratory. He tested positive anew during the confirmatory test conducted on January 6.
“He was already disarmed and was slapped with appropriate administrative charges,” said Sinas.
More or less 500 PNP personnel were already dismissed from the service since 2016 for testing positive for the use of illegal drugs.
Recently, a graduating cadet of the PNP Academy was also kicked out after he tested positive for the use of shabu. The cadet later admitted and pointed to a casual employee of the PNPA as his source.
Sinas said the contractual employee was already arrested including the source of the shabu he gave to the cadet. (Aaron Recuenco)
