The National Police will speed up the resolution of all administrative cases against policemen who are under investigation for involvement in the illegal drugs trade.

As Director General Jesus Verzosa issued the marching orders yesterday, the local government of Imus in Cavite joined the intensified war on illegal drugs.

Mayor Manny Maliksi said the town officials will also conduct random drug tests in work places to ferret out the drug users and peddlers.

Random tests have unmasked more than 200 drug users in the National Police.

Verzosa, seeking a drug-free police force, ordered Director Raul Bacalzo, commander of a special task force, to step up the campaign within the police ranks.

Bacalzo, chief of the directorate for investigation and detective management, said he will see to it that due process is observed in the case of the errant policemen.

There are 79 pending cases involving police personnel guilty of using illegal drugs, Bacalzo daid. Another 26 cases are under evaluation, he said.

Chief Supt. Nicanor Bartolome, police spokesman, clarified that only 13 personnel were found positive for using illegal drugs and they were already placed under summary hearing procedures.

Bartolome said there were 24 policemen suspended, five demoted, two dropped from the rolls for their failure to report for work and five resigned.

Police will continue to conduct random drug tests, this time covering 25 percent of the 125,000 personnel, he said.

Earlier, Verzosa said a ?One Strike Policy? will be applied to all police unit commanders who will fail in the war on illegal drugs.

In Imus, Maliksi called on Vice Mayor Manday Ilano to urge the municipal council to immediately pass a resolution and set a policy relative to drug use and drinking of liquors in work areas.

?I?ve heard of stories of people getting high on the job resulting to inefficiency and worse to accidents. May mga manggagawa na naaaksidente o namamatay bunga ng kalasingan o pagiging high ng isang ka-trabaho niya sa oras ng trabaho,? said Maliksi.

Ilano said he is supporting the policy set by the local government as he enjoined employers and union members to come to an agreement that will require workers to be tested before entering a site, or if they have reasonable suspicion that they need to be tested. Romie A. Evangelista