R1MC Mejia Sacks Shabu-Positive Dentist

By Mortz C. Ortigoza
DAGUPAN CITY – The chief of the Region-1 Medical Center has finally axed in a summary dismissal his chief of dentist after the latter was collared by the police because of illegal drugs possession and medically found to be positive with the substance.

R1MC Director Roland Mejia said that he sacked Dentist Teofilo del Prado, Jr. in May 6 while his human resource office sent his decision to the Civil Service in May 8 this year.
“Order of dismissal ko nakalagay it is the concern of the management of DOH (Department of Health) all employees in-charge of taking care of particular patients’ safety for that matter. These doctors, nurses, technicians should be free of any substance that will affect the management of patient. Iyon lang doctor ka magbubunot ka tama ba ang gagawin mo?” he posed.
He said del Prado asked for a leave of absence after he filled a bail for his temporary liberty from jail.
But Mejia rejected it since he subjected him already for a dismissal procedure. He said that more than a year ago del Prado was found to be positive with illegal substance after he instructed all his workers for random drug testing.
“Actually iyong taong iyan tinamaan na siya sa random, one or two years ago. The sad thing the random test dito dala sa Metro Manila for confirmation e iyong confirmatory ay nag turned out negative. Kaya wala akong choice but to accept that guy”.
But with the Philippine National Police busting him after a police chase from the notorious illegal drug haven in the Muslim area at Barangay Bonuan Gueset here last April 28 Mejia believes that the case against his former subordinate was incriminatory and strong.

Lt. Col. Christopher Abrahano, this city’s chief of police, told Northern Watch that del Prado, 47 and a resident of 9  Poblacion Norte Santa Barbara, Pangasinan, was arrested in his red Toyota Vios car with plate number ZX 791 after a brief chased with the police.
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 Abrahano said the alleged malefactor was cornered in front of the Justice Hall in Barangay Tondaligan around 12;20 Pm.
Abrahano said before del Prado was apprehended, he was seen by his operatives wandering in the Muslim Area.
Confiscated from del Prado were three aluminum strip foils with suspected shabu residue, one lighter and one improvised needle.
The police filed a violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).
Violation of RA 9165 in the Philippines can be either non-bailable if one has been collared to be selling shabu, or bailable if one has been arrested to be using quantities like five grams of shabu just like the case of del Prado.
But a lawyer from the Public Attorneys Office, who asked anonymity, said that the suspect can avail of rehabilitation to free himself from prosecution since he was not caught selling the illegal substance. "He is only a user," she said to this blogger.