By Yoshiko Shanez Balagon, Davao Today Intern
DAVAO CITY – As part of the investigation of a policeman who tested positive for shabu use during a random drug test, the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) has ordered its erring member to undergo another test.
SPO1 Librado Nalzaro, Jr. was given 15 days to challenge his result.
Sr. Supt. Pedro Cabatingan said that “to challenge” the result means that Nalzaro, Jr. will have to submit himself to a screening test in a government-accredited laboratory.
“He will undergo the screen test in Department of Health Manila using the same urine sample he submitted for the drug test,” said DCPO Spokesperson PS1 Milgrace Driz.
Nalzaro was immediately disarmed, relieved from his present assignment and transferred to City Personnel Holding Unit (CPHoU).
“He will undergo extenuation on what happened. Based in this extenuation, we [DCPO] will file appropriate charges in Regional Internal Affairs Service (RIAS) Region 11,” said Driz.
This is not the first time Nalzaro tested positive for drugs. The first time was in 2000 of which he got discharged and was once again reinstated in 2010.
“If it happens that in the second opinion he tested negative, for the benefit of the doubt, he has no case. If there is a positive result, then he is subject to the pre-charged investigation and he will pass through the process of pre-charged evaluation of which he will be then elevated to a formal hearing,” Cabatingan added.
Cabatingan also explained that the matter of suspension is based on an evidence of strong guilt.
“In that alone, the evidence of his primary test, which is the random drug test, is strong,” he added. (davaotoday.com)
