Friday, August 15, 2008 Congress to stop drivers' drug test
DRUG testing on drivers as required by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to secure a license may no longer be mandatory, a Cebuano congressman yesterday said.
Rep. Antonio Cuenco (Cebu City south district) said that moves are underway now to amend a provision of Republic Act (RA) 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, to scrap this pre-requisite.
Cuenco said he initially discussed this matter with Dangerous Drug Board (DDB) Secretary Vicente Sotto III following reports of exorbitant fees being imposed by drug testing outlets.
“They’re collecting P300 when the real expense should only be P50,” said Cuenco.
Both Cuenco and Sotto, a former senator, crafted RA 9165, which imposes stiff penalties on drug users, peddlers and big-time traders.
Cuenco said the drug testing requirement will only be conducted when a driver figures in an accident or on suspicion that he is hooked on illegal drugs.
Amendment
He said the plan to remove the drug testing requirement on drivers is just one of the many amendments they are going to tackle in Congress.
“We will be introducing several amendments but we will prioritize this,” he added.
Meanwhile, Cuenco said that Sotto has expressed his full support for the establishment of a DDB satellite office in Cebu.
The DDB extension office will oversee the implementation of anti-drug programs in the Visayas and Mindanao.
Sotto announced his support as he officially welcomed lawyer Clarence Paul Oaminal to the DDB family last Wednesday.
Oaminal took his oath before Sotto in a simple rites, witnessed by Cuenco, at DDB office in Quezon City past 5 p.m.
Oaminal said that Sotto also welcomed the proposal to include government employees, especially those that actively work in drug education and rehabilitation programs, in the campaign.
He said they also plan to launch the top 10 outstanding drug enforcement officers to encourage authorities to double their efforts in the fight against illegal drugs.
Yesterday, Oaminal was scheduled to pay a courtesy call on a drug enforcement administration official at the US Embassy in Manila. (GC)
