Murcia Mayor Andrew Montelibano submitted himself to a drug test yesterday and ordered all employees and officials of the town to do the same.

Montelibano said this is to belie the allegations of Murcia parish priest Greg Patiño and Parochial Vicar Agustin Hinayan that illegal drug use is rampant among employees of the town.

He said the results of the drug tests will be released by a private laboratory within the week, and those found positive will either be sent to a rehabilitation center, or will be terminated from services.

Montelibano added that, in the event that all employees are found negative of illegal drug use, he will give them bonuses.

Earlier, Montelibano announced that he was calling for the ouster of Patiño and Hinayan, who, he said, were blaming the local officials for the proliferation of illegal drugs and gambling in the town in their homilies.

He also said there are residents who want to launch a signature drive against the priests, and the 23 captains of the baranggay do not want the priests to go to their areas anymore.

The mayor said they will report what he called the “abuses” of the priests to Bishop Vicente Navarra, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines and to the Vatican ambassador to the Philippines, so the issue will reach the pope.

Asked when the issue started, Montelibano said, he has no idea, but he recalled that in December last year, Patiño disagreed with the sale of used clothing in front of the Murcia town parish.

However, Hinayan said their campaign against illegal drugs and gambling has nothing to do with the refusal of Patiño to allow the sale of used clothing in front of the Murcia town parish.

Hinayan said he and Patiño are not afraid of Montelibano’s call for ouster against them because, under the Canon Law, there are only four causes for their removal by the Bishop.

He said they can only be ousted for old age,physical incapacity, committing a crime, or their terms of service are over.

As priests, they have the moral obligation to confront social issues hounding the people of Murcia and protect their lives, Hinayan said.

He said drugs lead to death and the money used in illegal gambling is wasted and eventually cause the falling out of the family.

Hinayan said the members of the Murcia Inter-Denominational Ministries Forum, composed of Catholic priests and Christian Pastors, met with Montelibano and relayed to him the reports they received from Murciahanons regarding the rampancy of illegal drugs in the town.

However, he said, Montelibano raised his voice to them and the other priests who were there, an allegation that the mayor vehemently denied.

Vice Mayor Gerry Roxas expressed support to Montelibano’s call for the ouster Patiño and Hinayan, and said a resolution on the matter will be filed next week because their statements are “overkill”.

Illegal drugs and gambling are the perennial problems not only of Murcia, but of the rest of Negros Occidental, he said.

Roxas also said he believes the SP will unanimously approve the resolution supporting the move of Montelibano.*APN

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