Olongapo mayor orders 13 workers dismissed

OLONGAPO CITY — Mayor Rolen Paulino Jr. has ordered the termination of 13 city employees who tested positive for drug use in random and subsequent confirmatory tests.

Paulino said only two of the erring employees hold regular status while the others were job-order, contract-of-service and casual workers from different departments.

The random drug tests, which the city started last year, is part of the city’s effort to cleanse its ranks of erring employees, the mayor said.

Paulino also ordered drug tests for around 400 policemen in the city after four members of a local drug enforcement unit were arrested last week for allegedly protecting a “shabu” (crystal meth) laboratory inside the Subic Bay Freeport. —JOANNA ROSE AGLIBOT