Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año. INQUIRER file photo
MANILA, Philippines — Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año has led the mandatory drug testing of employees at the agency’s central office in Quezon City.
Coincidentally, the drug testing for the DILG personnel happened a day after President Rodrigo Duterte joked about using marijuana.
READ: Duterte admits using marijuana to keep him awake
“As the head of the DILG which is one of the lead agencies in the anti-illegal drugs campaign of President Duterte, I would like to set an example by being among the first few who will undergo the mandatory drug test for all DILG personnel,” Año said in a statement Tuesday.
According to the DILG Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya, the drug testing of the 1,000 personnel of the DILG started on Tuesday.
DILG Undersecretary for Operations Epimaco Densing III, Undersecretary for Public Safety Nestor Quinsay, and Assistant Secretary for External and Legislative Affairs Ricojudge Janvier Echiverri also went through the same test.
“No one is exempted from this drug testing in the Department, not even the officials. We want to send message that we ourselves are drug free and we are ready to lead the anti-illegal drugs fight until the end,” Año said.
The DILG said this is the third time that employees of the central office went through mandatory drug testing since 2016.
It added that employees who tested positive for illegal drugs will be given 15 days upon receipt of notice to challenge the test results. The agency will then sanction the employee if he fails to challenge the results within the given period.
Año said personnel who tested positive for illegal drugs will be charged with grave misconduct and will face dismissal from office. /jpv
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