NR0429:Davide's memo on random drug tests

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release April 29, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, Chief of Staff
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Davide's random drug testing scheme constitutes a violation against individuals' civil and human rights; GMA administration's increasingly authoritarian character manifesting itself in various dept orders and memoranda

Anakpawis Representatives Crispin Beltran today denounced Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr's Memorandum Order 18-2005 directing the Office of the Administrator, the Chiefs of the Office of Administrative Services of the Supreme Court and the Chief of Medical Services to conduct surprise and random drug testing and monitor judiciary officials and employees using drugs. The memorandum intends to cover all officials and employees of the SC, Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, Court of Tax Appeals, and the regional and municipal trial courts.

Beltran said that the memorandum was "abusive and in violation of the civil and human rights of government employees, and could be used as a precedent for a national mandatory drug testing scheme that will cover all Filipinos and be used against them if the government's police an d military authorities choose to."

"Chief Justice Davide's order is no different from Executive Order 420 of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. They both violate constitutional provisions on civil and human rights, and are expressions of authoritarianism and abuse of authority. Since the Macapagal-Arroyo administration is having a steep, uphill battle in its attempts legislate a national ID system and an anti-terrorism law, it's pushing for the implementation of draconian measures via the issuance of executive orders and memoranda. The Chief Justice's memorandum is a serious blow against individual rights. It constitutes an abuse of authority," he pointed out.

The veteran labor leader said that Congress should begin investigations in aid of legislation into the various Department Orders, Memoranda and executive orders that are being released by the heads of the various government departments in the legislative, judicial and executive branches of government, especially those released by Malacanang.

"Top government officials are abusing their powers and authority by releasing and imposing various memoranda and orders that have radical impact on the political and economic welfare of government employees and by extension the Filipino people who are supposed to be the main beneficiaries of the services rendered by government employees. These various memoranda and orders such as those issued by the Justice Department, the department of Labor and Employment and the Office of the President should be subjected to review and analyzed for their content and intent. The national government's increasingly authoritarian character is manifesting itself in its policies that are, in turn, replicated in rules and orders at the lower levels of the administration," he concluded. #