Senate committee finds ‘inefficiencies’ in enforcement of law vs drugged driving

MANILA, Philippines — After investigating the series of vehicular accidents involving drivers who tested positive for the use of illegal drugs, a Senate committee found “inefficiencies” in the implementation of the country’s law against drunk and drugged driving.

The Senate public order and dangerous drugs committee, headed by Senator Ronald”Bato” dela Rosa, further recommended the conduct of a probe for possible administrative action against authorities who failed to enforce the said law.

The findings of the Senate panel were contained in Committee Report No. 99, which was presented in plenary on Wednesday.

https://senate.gov.ph/lisdata/3288429766!.pdf

During his sponsorship speech, Dela Rosa said the efficient implementation of Republic Act 10586 or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013 “could have prevented several road crashes attributed to drugged driving.”

“It is very disturbing that almost on a daily basis, there are still reports of vehicular mishaps that claim lives and inflict critical injuries to bystanders and passengers damaging several other vehicles and properties along the site of the accidents. Worse, some of which are still due to drug use of specific people who are mandated by law to exercise extraordinary diligence,” he said.

“It is of no question that the impairment from drug use is a serious danger to transportation safety. In fact, its adverse effect is even more extensive than using illegal substances in one’s home as it exposes imminent threat to innocent lives regardless of age,” he added.

The committee found that law enforcement officers failed to “effectively enforce proactive measures to ensure the efficacy of R.A. 10586.”

The report noted that the Land Transportation Office (LTO) has conducted random drug testing at bus and jeepney terminals from July 4, 2019, to February 2020.

“The LTO has thus screened [4,762)] PUV (public utility vehicle) drivers. While the number may seem substantial in total, in reality, such number is relatively small compared to the total number of PUV drivers nationwide which is approximately 435,619,” it read.

The panel, meanwhile, pointed to a road accident in Makati City that killed a Grade 8 student and injured seven of his schoolmates.

“To emphasize, it was only on 19 February 2020, where the LTO together with the Makati City Police conducted an anti-drug operation in the area where the incident took place or merely a week after a highly publicized incident occurred that resulted to the demise of a student which, indisputably is a reactive measure to a tragic incident that could have been avoided by virtue of R.A. No. 10586,” the report read.

It added that the two-hour anti-drug operation resulted in the arrest of seven drivers, who were found positive for drugs.

The report pointed out that had the operation been conducted every day for two hours “the [law enforcement officers] could have apprehended at least 49 drugged drivers in a week or 196 drugged drivers in a month in Makati, a substantial number which could have avoided the loss of life of hundreds of pedestrians or passengers in one area alone.”

Further, the committee found that authorities failed to file cases against the arrested PUV drivers who were found positive for drugs.

“Again, It is not the law which is lacking but the lack of proper and actual enforcement on the part of the law enforcement agencies,” the report said.

Aside from the conduct of investigation for possible administrative action against law enforcement officers who failed to implement and enforce R.A. 10586, the Senate panel also recommended the constant monitoring, implementation, and enforcement of the law and conduct of a comprehensive review of the implementing rules and regulation for provisions that may need amendments.

The committee also underscored the need to “identify the proper procedure in handling the persons in violation of R.A. 10586 and other related laws.”

/MUF