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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Sira, palpak, bulok': Tulfo laments defective breathalyzers priced at P68,000 per unit

'Sira, palpak, bulok': Tulfo laments defective breathalyzers priced at P68,000 per unit

Published Aug 21, 2024 09:00 am

Senator Raffy Tulfo was surprised to find out that some breathalyzers that cost P68,000 each were returned to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) after being discovered defective.

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Sen. Raffy Tulfo expresses his concern over the increasing incidence of drunk driving in the country. In a public hearing, Wednesday, August 21, 2024, on the Fair Traffic Apprehension Act, Tulfo said that despite the passage of a law on anti-drunk and drugged driving 11 years ago, there are repeated reports on accidents, traffic altercations and road rage due to drunk drivers. (Senate PRIB photo)on

Tulfo learned about this during the Senate Committee on Public Services hearing after LTO Director Francis Ray Almora stated that they procured these units and distributed them to the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

According to Almora, out of the 756 units, 215 were given to the MMDA and 50 to the PNP while the rest were distributed to regional offices across the country.

MMDA acting Chair Romando Artes said that while they did receive the units, they had to return all of the units to LTO.

"Yes we received some units of breath analyzers from LTO but we returned them because it was not calibrated," he said.

"I remember at the time, then Chairman the late Danilo Lim tested the breath analyzer by asking his security to drink alcohol and try the breath analyzer and it registered zero alcohol level that's why we returned it," he added.

The PNP also chimed in and said that they returned the units back to LTO.

Tulfo said that he finds the price of the unit too pricy comparing it with those they saw abroad which were at P5,000 to P14,000 in the United States; P3,000 in Thailand; and P22,000 in China.

Those in charge of the procurement of the breathalyzers will be asked to attend the next hearing to find out if the specifications of the units are worth it.

"Pero ngayon pa lamang huhusgahan ko na, hindi worth it dahil pumapalya eh (But I'll judge it now, it's not worth it since it's faulty). It's not worth it because it doesn't work," Tulfo said.

"It didn't work, P68,000 sa isang palpak, bulok, sira na breathalyzer. Sinayang natin yung pera ng taong bayan (we spent P68,000 for a faulty, damaged, and defective breathalyzer. We wasted the people's money)," he added.

Asked if some are still working, Almora said that based on their data, they were able to make 1,496 prosecutions under the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013 which means that some are still working.

"What a very convenient excuse," Tulfo replied.

Related Tags

Land Transportation Office (LTO) Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Senate Committee on Public Services Philippine National Police (PNP) anti-drunk driving law Senator Raffy Tulfo
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