Bus driver faces criminal raps for drug use

MANILA, Philippines - A provincial bus driver is now facing criminal charges after being found positive for drug use during a random drug test conducted by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said the driver of a bus company tested positive for shabu after a urine test administered by MMDA and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency personnel at the Araneta Center bus terminal on Tuesday.

The driver, whose name has been temporarily withheld, has been prevented from plying his route indefinitely. He was scheduled to drive his bus to Bicol.

"Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a very dangerous practice. We hope this will be a lesson to all drivers of public utility vehicles. The safety of their passengers depends on them,” Tolentino said.

Tolentino said the MMDA will let the bus management and PDEA to handle the case of the erring bus driver.

With the help of PDEA, MMDA personnel have been conducting random drug test on bus drivers at the Araneta bus terminal in Cubao, Quezon City and Tramo, Pasay City as part of the agency’s Oplan Metro Alalay Semana Santa (MASS) 2013.

Drivers undergoing drug test are made to fill out consent forms before they submit their urine sample for testing. Each screening takes seven to 10 minutes.

At bus terminals in Pasay City, MMDA medical personnel, through the use of breath analyzers, also administer random alcohol tests on drivers before they are allowed to operate.  - Dennis Carcamo