130 out of 99,598 policemen tested positive for ‘shabu,’ says PNP

Philippine National Police officers    INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

A TOTAL of 130 out of 99,598 Philippine National Police personnel tested positive for “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) as of Monday, following random drug tests conducted in the past two months.

Chief Supt. Emmanuel Aranas, head of the PNP Crime Lab, told reporters that the initial results of the men examined―from chief inspector to police officer 1―were subjected to confirmatory testing.

Asked what would be done to the 130 policemen, Aranas said it would be up to PNP Director General Ronald dela Rosa.

“It’s only now that a PNP-wide drug testing happened.  We have been conducting random drug testing for a long time but it’s only now that we have a number (of those being tested positive) this big,” he said.

Aranas said the tests detected marijuana and amphetamines, and other drugs such as cocaine or ecstasy.  He said all 130 tested positive for shabu.

Asked if all 160,000 PNP uniformed personnel would be tested, Aranas said that some policemen were not around.

But he added that even if everyone would be tested, drug tests would have to be periodically conducted.

“If we complete the testing 100 percent, it’s not over yet.  We don’t believe that if the result is negative now, it would be negative [always],” he said. Jerome Aning