Creation of group catching drunk drivers pushed

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) proposed on Tuesday the formation of a corps of trained traffic enforcers, police officers and agents of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to implement the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013 or Republic Act 10586 in the streets of the metro.

Emerson Carlos, MMDA assistant general manager for operations, said MMDA enforcers who would be tapped to join the composite team must have untarnished service records.

“He must not be facing any administrative case, of course must be drug free, and tested negative for alcohol for at least six months,” Carlos said.

Carlos expressed confidence that once fully implemented, the law would help reduce the number of vehicular accidents in the streets.

MMDA said the most number of major vehicular incidents happen between midnight and 6 a.m. According to the MMDA, this is the period drunk drivers are most likely to be on the road.

Carlos however said that at present, implementation of  the law is being crippled by a lack of the needed alcohol breath analyzers to test for alcohol intake.

Carlos said it should be the LTO that should buy the alcohol breath analyzers being the lead agency. The MMDA has its own six breath analyzers for agency use, he said.

“So far the MMDA has six breath analyzers pero ginagamit namin sa mga empleyado namin ng kumuha kami nito wala pang law so paano gamitin under the law and hindi rin namin magagamit ito kasi dapat standard galing sa LTO dahil sila yung deputized,” Carlos said.

Once effective, motorists caught drunk or drugged while on the road face jail time from three months to 20 years and payment of fines between 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 also provides for mandatory alcohol and drug testing of drivers involved in accidents that result in death or physical injuries.