Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada (AP FILE PHOTO)
Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada on Sunday said all elected barangay officials in the city would soon be required to undergo mandatory drug testing, in support of President Rodrigo Duterte鈥檚 war on drugs.
鈥淔rom barangay chairmen down to the barangay kagawad (councilors), there will be no exemption,鈥� Estrada said in a statement.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a betrayal of public trust. People elected them. Do you think they are worthy of their positions if they鈥檙e drug addicts?鈥� he added.
Citing Executive Order 292 or the Administrative Code of 1987, Estrada warned that stiff sanctions await officials who would be found positive for drug use, including criminal and administrative cases and dismissal from service.
鈥淲e won鈥檛 be lenient to any barangay officials who are into drugs. They have no excuses,鈥� the mayor added.
Estrada and other city officials subjected themselves to a drug test in the city hall last August, where no one tested positive. JE/rga
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