by Nick Delgado

Guam - Just two days before U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood is scheduled to visit the island and the ports of entry on the island, the Port Authority of Guam is conducting an investigation as an employee was found in possession of drugs inside a restricted area that he wasn't authorized to be in.

The agency isn't releasing many details about Thursday's lockdown and the arrest of one its employees as an investigation into a security breach is underway. The Port Authority of Guam was on lockdown for about three hours on Thursday afternoon. Port general manager Mary Torres said, "Essentially there was a security breech and so the port police did what they would do in situations like that which essentially is locking off access for people entering and exiting and vehicles entering and exiting the secured area of the yard."

KUAM News has learned that the lockdown occurred after a Port employee was found in possession of crystal methamphetamine in a restricted area. Transportation Committee oversight chair Senator Tom Ada says the lockdown highlights concerns that were brought up during a recent oversight hearing with the Port. During that hearing it was revealed that there are three Port employees who have jobs that require them to have a Transportation Worker Identification Credential card, but the employees haven't gotten them yet.

"We cannot be taking any chances of any kind of disruption because we have people with questionable backgrounds and may have other intents purposes on that terminal other than to see it that cargo is moved through," said the senator.

KUAM News has confirmed that 51-year-old Eddie Cruz Taitano was arrested on Thursday for illegal possession of drugs. According to the Port's staffing pattern, Taitano is a planner worker coordinator in the Port's Terminal Division. Torres would not confirm the information or the arrest, saying, "We have an investigation undergoing and because it also involves personnel matters, I am limited in what I can comment. I will just have to leave it at that."

That investigation is supposed to include how Taitano was able to gain access to the restricted area and what he was doing there. Meanwhile, Torres confirms that she is still conducting her own inquiry into other Port employees who were recently hired but have not yet received their TWIC cards. That includes the hiring of convicted felon John Troy Santos.

A former firefighter, Santos pleaded guilty to possession of the drug Ice and spent seven years in federal prison. "The fact that he still hasn't gotten his security clearance makes you wonder if there's anything else in there," continued Senator Ada. "Nonetheless, I've been ensured that the Port is looking into this."

Torres added, "All matters have to go through the process, so what I have to do as a manager is ensure that the processes are in fact adhered to and all rights and considerations are given to the employees so we have to follow things and complete things as required as per our personnel rules and regulations and that's what I'm doing."

Senator Ada meanwhile believes Thursday's lockdown and the hiring of Santos is just further proof that there is a serious need for more scrutiny of the Port's hiring practices. He said, "This is another incident that confirms that a Port employee in possession of drugs, the port hiring individuals who have had histories associated with drugs. I think it begs the question of how well the Port has been carrying out its drug testing program, if it has?"

Of note is that in 2010 two Port employees tested positive for illicit drug use.