MANILA, Philippines - Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Assistant Secretary Virginia Torres yesterday issued a status quo order to continue conducting drug tests on applicants for driver’s licenses.
This despite the perceived repeal of the requirement by the newly signed Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Law.
This was Torres’ reaction to the statement of Sen. Vicente Sotto III that the new law has a provision that effectively scraps the drug test on driver’s license applicants under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
“I issued a status quo order because we have yet to implement the new law. We are not done crafting the IRR (implementing rules and regulations) yet. There are so many interpretations but the IRR will settle all these,” Torres said.
Earlier, observers pointed to the repealing clause of the newly enacted Republic Act No. 10586 or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Law.
Some said the provisions of the new legislation actually addressed the practice of drug users of abstaining from use of narcotics during the period they apply for or renew their driver’s license to escape testing positive for drugs.
Sources explained that the new law addresses this with the drug testing or on the spot breath check of those suspected to be driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.The LTO chief said the status quo order she issued was to direct the LTO’s district offices to continue the drug tests on applicants for driver’s licenses until the IRR has been set.
According to Torres, the next meeting of the technical working group to draw up the IRR is on June 27.
“We are given four month to come out with the IRR,” Torres said.
The new law signed by President Aquino imposed stiffer sanctions and penalties on those driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Penalties for driving under the influence range from three months in prison and a fine of P20,000 to perpetual revocation of the driver’s license, a fine of P500,000 and longer prison term.
Sotto pointed out that the mandatory drug test for license applicants is an ineffective requirement, citing data from the Department of Health and the Dangerous Drugs Board.
Records showed that out of millions a mere 0.06 percent yielded positive results in drug tests conducted by the LTO from 2002 to 2010. (From Philstar.com)