The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday announced that it is increasing its target recipients of random drug-tests by 20 percent this year.
This is in line with its efforts to eradicate drug users in the military, said AFP public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala.
Task Force Moses, the AFP’s anti-drug body, reported that in 2013 alone, some 20,000 personnel were targeted for the random drug-testing.
Its operational arms, Task Group Jacob for General Headquarters (GHQ), Unified Commands (UCs), and AFP-Wide Service Support Units (AWSSUs) and Task Group (TG) Joshua for Philippine Air Force exceeded its target of 4,000 each while TG Salamander for Philippine Navy achieved about 30 percent of its 4,000 mark.
Considering it has the most numbers of members, TG Midas of Philippine Army targeted 8,000 recipients and as of December 2013, it has achieved 83.6 percent of its target.
Out of the total personnel tested in the past year, some 113 personnel were confirmed positive. Of this number, 13 came from TG Jacob, 12 from TG Joshua, 18 from TG Salamander, and 70 from TG Midas.
A comparative analysis of TF Moses’ yearly accomplishments show a trend that personnel from the Air Force, UCs and AFPWSSUs have consistently registered the lowest number of personnel confirmed to be using illegal drugs while members from the Army and Navy, particularly Marines have recorded the highest number of personnel positive of illegal drug use.
A tabulation of the drug users also shows a trend that the younger the individual, the greater the susceptibility to drug use is -- five percent are Staff Sergeant/Petty Officer 2; 12 percent are Sergeant/Petty Officer 3; 26 percent are Corporal/Airman 1st Class/Seaman 1st Class; 51 percent are Private First Class/Airman 2nd Class/Seaman 2nd Class; and six percent are Private/Airman/Seaman.
Despite this, TF Moses, in its effort to reach a wider audience and to deliver a more effective campaign, is stepping up its information drive for a healthier, stronger and drug-free AFP.
Bracing for more challenges in the future, it has decided to increase its target recipients of random drug testing by 20 percent for this year.
Task Force Moses has also invested on the training of its members for better and more accurate results in drug testing which is why additional training for more number of personnel is projected for 2014.
The year 2014 brings another year of challenge to the task force’s commitment to get rid of illegal drug users in the AFP.
Cognizant of its accomplishment and aware of the task ahead, TF Moses can say that much has been accomplished yet more is to be done.
Regular mandatory and random drug testing to officers, enlisted personnel, and civilian employees in the AFP is part of the military’s campaign against drug-abuse.
This drug testing instantly identifies methamphetamines and cannabis from urine samples submitted by the subjects.
In case a subject was found positive in the drug test, an immediate confirmatory test will then be carried out in the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. A confirmed drug-user will then undergo an investigation.
"The AFP will continue to do this to set an example to our citizens against the use of illegal drugs. As protector of the people we should always be in our best physical, mental, and psychological condition in order to fully serve our responsibilities," Zagala concluded.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=607287
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