PDEA officers, employees undergo surprise drug test

Officials and personnel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) were surprised on Monday morning with a mandatory drug testing.

According to a 24 Oras report by Marisol Abdurahman, even PDEA chief Director General Aaron Aquino was subjected to the drug test.

"Malalaman nung mga tao na they could prepare and stop using it kung alam nilang magkakaron ng drug testing," Aquino said.

"We'll conduct summary proceedings... summary dismissal proceedings. They will be forwarded to the Internal Affairs Service of PDEA," he added.

Aquino admitted that there were reports saying some of their personnel were involved in illegal activities.

"Di natin maiwasan 'yan eh. Kahit anong organisasyon meron talagang ahas. Meron talagang gumagawa ng kalokohan," Aquino said.

This was the second drug test conducted by the agency since Aquino was appointed to lead PDEA. No employee tested positive for illegal drugs during the drug testing in November 2017.

Meanwhile, PDEA personnel and employees were in favor of the mandatory drug testing within their agency.

"Bilang empleyado ng gobyerno, dapat talaga na may mga ganito," one employee said.

"Para naman sa amin 'to lahat, sa mga empleyado," another one added.

"Kasi kailangan po ito sa trabaho," the security guard said. —Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA News