Ten 15th IB men positive for drugs

From the Visayan Daily Star (Feb 7): Ten 15th IB men positive for drugs

None of the 3rd Infantry Division soldiers assigned in Negros and Panay island tested positive for illegal drugs, but not 10 other Army troopers temporarily deployed in Mindanao.

While the 15IB is presently assigned in Mindanao and under the supervision of the 1st Infantry Division, it is still under the administrative control of the 3rd Infantry Division stationed at Camp Macario Peralta in Jamindan, Capiz, military records show.

Maj. Rey Tiongson, 3ID spokesman, yesterday confirmed that 10 soldiers of 15IB tested positive for use of prohibited drugs.

The 15IB is now undergoing retraining in Zamboanga del Sur.

The random drug testing conducted by the Task Force Moses, an anti-drug body of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, also covered 3ID soldiers assigned in Negros and Panay. However, their results were negative, military records show.

Of about 20,000 AFP personnel 70 are members of the Philippine Army subjected to random drug testing by the Task Force Moses in 2013, 113 were confirmed to have been using prohibited drugs.

It will be followed by a confirmatory test to be conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement. A confirmed drug user will undergo an investigation, the AFP said in a statement it issued.

The 10 soldiers of 15IB who tested positive for drug are all young enlisted personnel, military records show.

Despite this, Tiongson said the 10 will be accorded due process, while they are being investigated.

If found guilty, they could be discharged from the military service, he added.

The 15IB had a short stint of assignment in northern Negros, almost a decade ago.

Following its achievements in eliminating drug influence with the AFP, Task Force Moses is increasing its target recipients of random drug testing by 20 percent this year, the AFP statement added.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2014/February/07/topstory10.htm