links: http://www.army.mil.ph/pr/2016/jul/060716_2.html
FORT BONIFACIO, Taguig City – The Philippine Army is investigating its personnel who failed the initial screening of the mandatory drug test conducted here on July 5 in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
Thirteen out of 2,500 Army personnel from different post units and offices based here failed the initial screening test and were immediately required to undergo further confirmatory test in a DOH-accredited drug testing establishment.
“Everybody was required to undergo the drug test led by our Army commanding general,” said Col. Benjamin L. Hao, the Army spokesperson. The drug test was unannounced. It was implemented during the conduct of the Army’s morning Taebo exercise on Tuesday.
“The Philippine Army is very serious in its anti-drug campaign,” said Hao. “Since we started this campaign, 204 soldiers nationwide were already discharged from the service because of cases related to illegal drugs (131 soldiers nationwide were discharged in 2013; 38 in 2014; 30 in 2015; and 5 so far this year).”
“If the confirmatory test is positive, it is enough evidence for us to discharge our personnel,” explained Hao. “But we emphasized that due process is given to all our personnel based on existing laws and regulations about illegal drugs.”
Section 36, Article 3 of R.A. 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, mandates the conduct of random drug testing to public and private officers for purposes of reducing the risk in the workplace.
This same section of R.A. 9165 also mandates the conduct of annual mandatory drug test to all members of the military. The 13 personnel are now under custody of the Philippine Army for further investigation while waiting for the confirmatory test result. #
PHILIPPINE ARMY
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