MANILA — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Wednesday said 10 bus drivers and two conductors tested positive for illegal drug use based on the results of the “Oplan Undaspot”, which aims to ensure public safety, especially those travelling to provinces for the All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said the results came from the drug tests conducted on 848 bus drivers and seven conductors.
The 10 drivers, two of them from the National Capital Region (NCR), were not allowed to travel pending the confiscation of their licenses while undergoing rehabilitation process.
Aquino ordered the mandatory drug test due to the increasing number of bus drivers and conductors arrested for illegal drug use.
“This is our way of extending our concern to the Filipino people as a government entity, while ensuring a safe and harmless travel,” Aquino said in a statement.
“Oplan Undaspot” is a surprise mandatory drug testing on bus drivers and conduct of K9 sweeping in the different terminals and ports nationwide aimed to ensure the safety of passengers who will be traveling for the “Undas” holidays.
He added that the Oplan Undaspot is also to prevent illegal drug traffickers in taking advantage of the influx of people and busy operations in the terminals to transport illegal drugs.
PDEA has tapped the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in verifying the complete required documents of additional transport buses to cater the voluminous passengers travelling to provinces.
Both the LTO and LTFRB are part of the implementing team that has the jurisdiction in imposing proper action on the result of the drug test.
“The use of illegal drugs in transportation industry is very rampant even in ordinary hours, making the riding public prone to accidents, these drivers should face the consequences of using illegal drugs so as not to compromise the safety of passengers,” the PDEA chief said. (Christopher Lloyd Caliwan/PNA)
