A total of six out of the 98 drivers and conductors were tested positive for illegal drug use during the conduct of surprise drug tests as part of the road safety measures for the Holiday season, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) stated.
In a statement, the PDEA explained that the operation was carried out with the primary objective of ensuring the safe and drug-free travel of the passengers.
An estimated hundreds of thousands of vacationers trooped to Baguio City and eventually returned to their respective destinations during the Holiday season.
The chemists from the PDEA-Cordillera Administrative Region administered the drug tests of the drivers and conductors, while the PDEA-Land Transport Interdiction Unit (LTIU) utilized narcotic detection dogs to inspect the hand-carried items and baggage of the passengers.
Further, the PDEA detailed that the measures to those tested positive for illegal drug use include but are not limited to revocation of license, paying of penalty cited in the ticket and suspension from work.
“Coordination with their respective barangays must be ensured to refer these individuals for proper drug treatment, rehabilitation and monitoring. The PDEA-CAR and DOTr, LTO (Land Transportation Office), and LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board) Cordillera remain committed to assisting their partner agencies in creating a drug-free community,’’ the PDEA noted.
“By working together, we can build a safer and more resilient society, free from the harms of drug abuse and addiction,’’ it added.