The Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday said a total of 188 policemen and seven civilian employees tested positive for use of illegal drugs, particularly shabu.
Supt. Irene Rigonan, officer-in-charge of the Operations Management Division of the PNP-Crime Laboratory, said some of those who tested positive in the mandatory drug testing were already kicked out of the police service while the rest are being subjected to dismissal proceedings.
Based on the record, Rigonan said the CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) regional police recorded the most number of policemen who tested positive in the drug test, followed by the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).
“The highest ranking is a Chief Inspector (equivalent to a rank of major in the military) while the lowest ranking is Police Officer 1,” said Rigonan.
The official said their main focus in the conduct of the drug test is to identify the presence of the substance for shabu and marijuana.
The PNP initiated a mandatory drug test for all its uniformed and civilian personnel across the country since Director General Ronald dela Rosa assumed the highest police post on July 1 last year.
Dela Rosa vowed to kick out from the service those who would test positive, which he did as he announced last year that he already signed the dismissal of a hundred policemen.
The official said the drug test is part of the internal cleansing as the PNP launched an aggressive anti-drugs war.
So far, a total of 2,250 suspected drug pushers and users were killed from July 1 until yesterday morning while 45,618 others were arrested.
At least 3,500 others were killed by vigilante groups but Dela Rosa said only a few of them are drug-related.
(AARON RECUENCO)