ISAFP to lead probe of drug users within AFP

MANILA, Philippines—The Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) announced it would lead efforts to weed out drug users from the 85,000-strong military.

In a statement Wednesday, Brigadier General Caesar Ordoyo, the ISAFP chief, said he and all the 386 personnel at the ISAFP headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo were recently subjected to a drug test.

All of them — comprised of officers, enlisted personnel and civilian employees — tested negative for illegal drug use.

Operatives and other field personnel of the AFP’s main spy unit will also be subjected to the drug test.

Ordoyo said they underwent the drug test “as a matter of setting moral ascendancy” since ISAFP has been tapped to investigate colleagues suspected of using illegal drugs.

The Philippine Army, Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force have organized their own anti-drug task groups or counter-intelligence units.

ISAFP, meanwhile, will handle the AFP general headquarters, the seven unified commands and the AFP-wide service support units.

Last July, ISAFP Task Force Moses was created to lead the anti-drug counter-intelligence efforts.

Headed by the ISAFP deputy chief, Col. Virgilio Hernandez, Task Force Moses has operational control over the task groups of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

ISAFP Task Group Jacob was also formed as the primary operating arm of Task Force Moses. The task group is headed by ISAFP chief of staff, Col. Melquiades Ordiales.