DOH reiterates full support to anti-illegal drugs drive

MANILA -- The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday reiterated its full support for President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.

This after Dr. Vanjoe de Guzman, an employee of DOH Metro Manila Center for Health Development (MMCHD), was arrested, along with six others, in a buy bust operation of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday.

In a statement, DOH-MMCHD said that de Guzman is a regular DOH employee since February 2015, but has been on absence without leave status since Nov. 26, 2018.

"Despite written directives to report immediately to the office, Dr. de Guzman has failed to comply. This has prompted for DOH-MMCHD to issue an Order of Separation and commence disciplinary proceedings, in consultation with the Civil Service Commission, for his eventual dismissal from the service," the statement read.

The DOH-MMCHD added all its employees are subjected to annual mandatory random drug testing regardless of their employment status.

Based on police report, de Guzman, uses his own unit as a drug den. Instead of sniffing shabu (methamphethamine hydrochloride), the arrested suspects inject the substance in liquid form into their system.

De Guzman will face charges for violation of Section 5 (Sale of Dangerous Drugs), Section 6 (Maintenance of a Drug Den), Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs) and Section 12 (Possession of Drug Paraphernalia), Article II of Republic Act 9165, or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, while the rest will be charged with violation of Section 7 (Visitors of a Drug Den). (PNA)

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http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1063244
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