Pubdate: Tue, 18 Dec 2001
Source: Manila Times (Philippines)
Copyright: The Manila Times 2000
Contact:  http://www.manilatimes.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/921
Author: Jeannette Andrade

COPS DUPED INTO TAKING DOPE TEST

Drug enforcement agents from the National Capital Region (NCR) thought it 
was a symposium they were attending yesterday at the Multi-Purpose Hall in 
Camp Crame.

The 500 agents had been summoned by Narcotics Group (Nargroup) to what was 
billed as a "Symposium on the Metro Manila Drug Situation." They had no 
idea they were to be tested for drugs.

Once all the agents were in the hall, the doors were shut and Philippine 
National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory under Director Marlowe Pedrogosa 
made preparations for the test.

Nargroup Director Efren Fernandez was all for the surprise drug testing. He 
said that before the agents can effectively enforce the campaign against 
drugs, they themselves must be ascertained to be "clean" of shabu and other 
regulated drugs.

At first, Fernandez would not confirm that the symposium was actually a way 
to make sure the full attendance of the drug operatives.

'Cleansing'

He only said that the gathering had been called primarily to synchronize 
the efforts in the anti-drug campaign in Metro Manila. He, however, hinted 
of a "cleansing activity" that would be undertaken during the symposium, 
which was later on discovered to be surprise drug testing of the participants.

"That is actually a principle that the PNP is observing and in fact, that 
is not only for the start but it is going to be done on a periodic basis. 
It is a continuing activity that should be observed by the PNP and the name 
of the game is perpetual vigilance and we should start within our ranks 
before we can be counted in this crusade by our people," Fernandez said.

"The cleansing of the PNP is the first activity that we have to do if we 
are to be relied upon by our people as the frontliners in the campaign 
against drugs," he said.

Drug Menace

He expressed alarm that the drug menace has grown into serious proportions 
which would require "all the forces and all the resources that we could 
muster."

It was learned that a similar drug test had been undertaken by the Nargroup 
last Nov. 24 among 300 agents. Only one agent reportedly failed the test.

The result of yesterday's drug test is expected to be released next week.
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MAP posted-by: Beth