The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) said it will continue to conduct unannounced checking of vehicles for illegal drugs and random drug testing of public utility vehicle drivers in the region to assure the safety of the commuting public, especially during the Holy Week break.
PDEA-CAR Regional Director Gil Ceasario Castro said in a private message over social media on Monday that “we will do it anytime… sa mga (for the) driver when we see the need.”
Castro said the “Oplan Harabas” done last week was part of the passenger safety efforts of the government, especially with many people expected to be traveling during the Holy Week break.
Several public utility buses have already been allowed to transport passengers to and from Baguio City and other parts of the region, making drug testing the more important.
“Kasama sa ating mandate na gawing safe ang mga mamamayan (part of our mandate is to make sure that our people are safe), we need to assure that the drivers and conductors are free from illegal drugs because it adds to the safety of the people and use of prohibited drugs are never allowed in the public transport industry,” he said.
Aside from drug testing, drug-sniffing dogs have also been deployed to conduct random checking of public utility vehicles.
Based on the report provided by the PDEA-CAR, Oplan Harabas conducted on April 8 showed negative results from the random drug tests of 130 drivers and conductors.
Tested were 38 bus drivers, 18 conductors, 6 taxi drivers, 13 public utility jeepney drivers, five truck drivers, and 50 public utility van drivers.
Source: United News of Bangladesh
