Five PUV drivers positive of shabu

CEBU, Philippines - Five public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers were found positive of illegal drug use when the Land Transportation Office (LTO) conducted surprise roadside drug testing at Imus Road in barangay Day-as, Cebu City yesterday morning.

LTO 7 Operations Chief Macario Getaruelas said 50 PUV drivers were subjected to a surprise drug test yesterday and four passenger jeepney drivers and a taxi driver tested positive.

 One of the PUJ drivers escaped before the technicians found that his urine sample tested positive of illegal drugs. His license, however, was confiscated by the LTO-7 agents.

 LTO Chief Virginia Torres, who was in Cebu City yesterday, witnessed the surprise drug testing and encouraged the LTO-7 officials under Regional Director Raul Aguilos to conduct a frequent random roadside drug testing.

 The FREEMAN withheld the names of the concerned PUV drivers pending the confirmation of their urine samples. They were all issued with Temporary Operators Permit (TOP).

 Once the results of the confirmation test show their urine samples to have traces of methamphetamine hydrocloride or shabu, their licenses will be revoked and they would be made to pay a fine of P10,000.

 Some of the drivers admitted in an interview that they used illegal drugs although, they stressed, these were months ago.

The taxi driver who tested positive of illegal drugs, when flagged down by the LTO-7 agents, told agents he was in a hurry because his child is having convulsions because of fever.

But the LTO-7 agents insisted for him to undergo the urine test.

 Getaruelas said that every time the LTO-7 agents conduct a surprise roadside drug testing, they always find some drivers who tested positive for illegal drug use.(FREEMAN)