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.