LTO allots P23.4 M for breath analyzers, drug test kits

MANILA, Philippines - The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has earmarked P23.4 million for the purchase of alcohol breath analyzers and drug testing kits to strictly implement Republic Act 10586 or the Anti-drunk and Drugged Driving Law.

Lawyer Emiliano Santos Jr., chairman of the LTO-Bids and Awards Committee, said they have issued an invitation to bid for the supply of 150 sets of alcohol breath analyzers with a contract of P23.08 million as well as 150 sets of drug testing packs for P330,000.

The agency is set to hold a pre-bid conference on Aug. 12. The submission and opening of bids is on Aug. 26.

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has ordered law enforcers to strictly implement the law penalizing drivers caught driving under the influence of alcohol or illegal substance.

Violators face penalties ranging from three months to 20 years in prison and fines of P20,000 to P500,000.

Violators also face a 12-month suspension of non-professional driver’s license for the first offense and perpetual revocation for the second offense. For professional drivers, a first offense would result in perpetual revocation of license.

The law limits the allowable blood alcohol level to below 0.05 percent for most drivers.

Drivers of public utility vehicles, trucks, buses and motorcycles are not allowed to have any amount of alcohol in their blood since people’s lives are in their hands, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said earlier.

The DOTC drafted the guidelines of RA 10586 together with the National Police Commission, Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Health.

Under the law, public utility drivers involved in accidents that result in deaths or physical injuries should undergo mandatory alcohol and drug testing.

The law also empowers the Land Transportation Office to conduct random testing of public utility drivers at transport terminals nationwide.

An apprehended driver who is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol will undergo eye test or the horizontal gaze nystagmus, walk-and-turn test and the one-leg stand.

The eye test requires the driver to follow with his gaze an object that the law enforcer moves horizontally around one foot away from the driver’s face.

The walk-and-turn test requires the driver to walk nine steps forward in a straight line, turn, then walk back the same distance without difficulty.

In the third test, the driver is required to stand on one leg and raise the other around six inches from the ground for about 60 seconds.

If the driver passes these tests, he would be apprehended for traffic violation only, and not for violation of RA 10586.

If the driver fails any of the tests, he would be subjected to an Alcohol Breath Analyzer test to determine his blood alcohol level.

A driver found to have a higher blood alcohol level than the prescribed limit would be arrested and his vehicle impounded.

In instances wherein a law enforcer has reasonable grounds to believe that the driver is under the influence of dangerous drugs, the driver would be brought to the nearest police station and subjected to a drug test.