CHURCH, COURT FINE WITH SCHOOL DRUG TEST

A Cebu City judge said he had nothing against random drug testing
ordered by the national government for high school students.

"I support this random drug testing because this is for the good of
the students to make our schools drug-free," said Regional Trial
Court Executive Judge Meinrado Paredes of Branch 13.

His court is specially designated to handle illegal drug cases.

Paredes said random testing is valid under the Constitution;
compulsory drug testing is prohibited.

But organizers should make sure students understand that the process
is truly random and does not target suspected drug users, he said.

The tests should be "suspicionless" and avoid creating a stigma, Paredes said.

No objection was raised either by Catholic church officials as long
as information is properly given, procedures are followed, and the
government goes after the source of illegal drugs.

Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal called on students to be calm
and to understand the purpose of the program.

"I understand the reaction of the young people because I think their
mind (is dwelling on the impression that) they are being accused of
using illegal drugs," Vidal said.

He urged students to "be open."

At the same time, he said government officials involved in the
program should follow procedures, like asking for parents' permissions.

"They should also make the students understand the reason behind
this," Vidal said.

Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, president of the Catholic Bishops'
Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), said that testing students
should not be viewed as the solution to the problem of proliferation
of illegal drugs.

"Very often, the students are the victims themselves," Lagdameo said.
"So they (government) should not run after the victims of drugs. They
should run after the pushers because they are the ones distributing it."

Lagdameo said the CBCP has not taken a position on the issue.

"But what we say is that the heads of the schools, especially the
Secretary of Education and others, must be involved in this decision
on whether students should be tested for drugs," he said.

He called for multi-sectoral participation in the program.

"Testing the student is only part of the problem but getting the drug
pushers would solve a little bit more," said Lagdameo.

Random drug testing started in some parts of the country last
Thursday. Testing in Central Visayas will start on Feb. 16, beginning
with schools in Cebu City.