70 Malabon cops tested for drugs

Around 70 police officers assigned at Malabon City were ordered on Tuesday to undergo a drug test on the spot as part of efforts to rid the police force of drug users.

The “surprise and random” drug testing, according to Malabon police chief Senior Supt. Cornelio Barrios, is in compliance with a National Capital Region Police Office initiative which seeks to keep the ranks of local and national law enforcers “clean and healthy.”

“Police officers go after drug lords, pushers and users and criminals in general. [So first], they should be clean [themselves],” Barrios told the Inquirer.

The 70 policemen were selected at random by the chiefs of the seven police districts in Malabon, he said.

Those picked were then instructed to report to the main police headquarters in the city although it was only when they got there that they were informed that they were to undergo a drug test.

The number represented 25 percent of the total number of policemen in the city.

Malabon has around 280 police officers.

Barrios said the results of the test would be released by the Northern Police District  crime laboratory next week.

“Should any of them be found to have used drugs, he may be stripped of his position and properly investigated,” he added.

Tuesday’s drug testing which began at 8 a.m. and ended at around 11 a.m. was the first to be initiated by the city police.

The previous surprise drug tests had been ordered by Northern Police District officials.

Barrios warned his men that more on-the-spot drug tests would be conducted in the next months.