By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff reporter
PIDDIG, Ilocos Norte—At least 120 municipal employees and elected officials of this town can be the first to claim, they are clean and free from illegal drugs.
In a surprise mandatory drug testing activity held at the municipal hall, newly-elected town mayor Georgina Guillen said the result turned out all negative.
Led by Ms. Guillen, she invited representatives of the Philippine National Police Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) Crime Laboratory and the Department of Health and ordered all local government employees and officials here to undergo drug testing right away.
“Our municipal mayor is doing everything she can to make our town drug free. A number of drug pushers has been arrested, some are in jail already and other cases are still undergoing court proceedings,” said former town mayor Eduardo Guillen, now acting as consultant to the mayor.
In Piddig, police reported more than 20 drug users who surrendered while the local government unit here is taking responsibility for their immediate rehabilitation and do away from drugs.
“Police authorities has also identified all of the alleged pushers in Piddig because the surrenders identified their source of drugs. It is only matter of time now that we can totally eradicate illegal drugs in our town,” said Mr. Guillen in support of the Duterte administration to eradicate drugs the soonest possible time.
“We all share the same concern about the problem of illegal drugs. Even the mighty United States is not spared with this problem. But at least the whole country has been experiencing unbelievable positive accomplishment in our fight against drug addiction. Please help us by including our town in your prayers,” he added.
Workers at the municipal hall were surprised as they were asked one by one to undergo drug testing.
“I know myself that I'm not a drug user but in case positive angdrug test komagre-resign ako,” said Joel Madamba, a radio host at the municipal government-run radio station at the Piddig municipal hall just after he gave his urine sample to a DOH representative.