GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/09 August) — Six job order employees of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Region 12 have been dismissed from service after yielding positive of using illegal drugs in its mandatory drug tests.
Engr. Reynaldo Tamayo Sr., DPWH Region 12 director, said he ordered the immediate termination of the job contracts of the concerned workers on Monday based on the results of the tests.
He said the move was endorsed by the agency’s top officials and members of its management committee.
“We decided during our meeting to terminate outright the services of the erring workers,” Tamayo said in a radio interview.
The official said the six were among the initial batch of 218 permanent and job order or contractual employees of the DPWH-12 who were subjected to surprise drug tests last week.
Most of them were found positive of using methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu, he said.
As of Tuesday, Tamayo said all job order employees of the agency have already completed the drug tests.
He said they will schedule another round of drug tests for the remaining employees, which he placed at “less than a hundred.”
“It will again be a surprise testing to ensure proper results,” the official said.
Tamayo said the six dismissed employees have the option to undergo confirmatory tests but they will have to shoulder the P1,000 testing fee.
But he did not say whether they could still seek reinstatement if the confirmatory test results would turn out negative.
For permanent employees who would yield positive of drug use, he said he will immediately order them to explain the results.
He said they could face disciplinary actions but noted that they will be based on existing civil service regulations.
The DPWH-12 launched the mandatory drug tests for its officials and employees in compliance with a directive from its central office.
The move is in support of intensified campaign against illegal drugs ordered by President Rodrigo R. Duterte. (MindaNews)