POSITIVE. Lt. Col. Lino Capellan (in photo), public information officer of the Police Regional Office-12, confirms on Monday (Dec. 2, 2019) that two policemen in Soccsksargen yielded positive of using shabu in last month’s surprise tests. The two, who have been relieved from regular duties, are non-commissioned officers previously assigned in North Cotabato and this city. (Photo courtesy of PRO-12)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Two policemen in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) face possible dismissal from service after yielding positive for using illegal drugs in last month’s surprise tests.
Lt. Col. Lino Capellan, public information officer of the Police Regional Office (PRO-12), said Monday the concerned policemen were already relieved from regular duties and are set to undergo confirmatory tests.
Capellan said the two are non-commissioned officers and previously assigned in North Cotabato and this city.
They were among the more than 6,000 police commissioned, non-commissioned and non-uniformed personnel who were subjected to mandatory drug tests last Nov. 19 on orders of PRO-12 director, Brig. Gen. Alfred Corpus, he added.
Based on the test results released by the regional crime laboratory, he said the two were found positive for shabu use.
“We already endorsed their cases to the RIAS (Regional Internal Affairs Service),” Capellan said in an interview.
The recent surprise mandatory drug tests for police personnel in Soccsksargen were in line with the Philippine National Police’s continuing internal cleansing program.
As a policy, police personnel who would test positive of using illegal drugs will be charged with grave misconduct, which is punishable by dismissal from the police service.
Col. Aden Lagradante, city police director, said in a separate interview that he immediately relieved the erring policeman, who was assigned at the Fatima police station, after the release last week of the initial test results.
He said they previously received reports about some “questionable” activities of the policeman and it was confirmed by the drug test.
Lagradante said he has been regularly reminding city police personnel not to engage in any illegal activity, especially anything drug-related, as they will certainly be separated from service if proven guilty.
“Anything illegal is inexcusable. All we need to do is follow the rules and perform our duties well since we already have standardized our salaries and the system in the PNP has greatly improved these past years,” he said.
Lagradante said he has temporarily reassigned the concerned policeman to the city police headquarters in Camp Fermin Lira here.
He said they are waiting for the order from the PRO-12 for his transfer to the regional police holding and accounting unit at the regional headquarters in Barangay Tambler. (PNA)
