LAOAG CITY -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) has encouraged more candidates for Monday’s barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections to undergo voluntary drug testing.
This, after the PNP in the 21 towns and two cities here made public the names of candidates who underwent voluntary drug testing, and results yielded positive or negatives results.
The tarpaulins bearing their names are posted in front of the different police stations of the province.
“The voluntary drug testing is one way to manifest one's sincerity to serve the public and be one in pushing for peace and development of our nation,” Police Chief Inspector Dexter Corpuz, Chief Provincial Public Information Officer of the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office, said in an interview Thursday.
Corpuz noted that if they are not hiding anything, they should submit themselves to the test and not wait for another wave of “narcolist” to be released to the public.
PNP Chief Dir. Gen. Oscar Albayalde has dared all barangay officials, including candidates for the barangay and SK elections, to voluntarily undergo a drug test to clear themselves from any links to illegal drugs.
The police is also enjoining all candidates to participate in the signing of peace covenant administered in various churches here.
The PNP so far has identified at least five municipalities under election areas of concern.
These are the towns of Marcos, Laoag, Pasuquin, Badoc, and Bacarra amid the presence of intense political rivalry, proliferation of loose firearms, and other activities of threat groups. (PNA)
