The Philippine National Police (PNP) must insist the conduct of a drug test on the Pangasinan Solid North bus driver who was involved in the May 1 tragedy in Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said.
The former PNP chief-turned-senator reminded the PNP that this is in accordance with Republic Act 10586 or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act.
The reelectionist senator noted that the conduct of drug test is mandated under Section 6 of RA 10586 if the law enforcement officer has probable cause to believe that a person is driving under the influence due to apparent indications, including overspeeding, weaving, lane straddling, sudden stops, swerving, poor coordination or the evident smell in a person’s breath or signs of use of dangerous drugs and other similar substances.
“Attention all drivers and PNP personnel: In relation to that vehicular incident that claimed many lives wherein the driver refused to undergo a drug test. The driver should not refuse and the PNP should insist to subject the said driver to a drug test under this existing law,” Dela Rosa wrote on his Facebook account.
Section 7 of RA 10586 provides that a driver of a motor vehicle involved in a vehicular accident resulting in the loss of human life or physical injuries shall be subjected to chemical tests, including a drug screening test and, if necessary, a drug confirmatory test as mandated under Republic Act No. 9165, to determine the presence and/or concentration of alcohol, dangerous drugs and/or similar substances in the bloodstream or body.
Dela Rosa emphasized that the same law penalizes the driver who refused to undergo the mandatory filed sobriety and drug tests by confiscation and automatic revocation of the involved individual’s driver license.
The reelectionist senator also noted that the conduct of drug test is mandated under Section 6 of RA 10586 if the law enforcement officer has probable cause to believe that a person is driving under the influence due to apparent indications, including overspeeding, weaving, lane straddling, sudden stops, swerving, poor coordination or the evident smell in a person’s breath or signs of use of dangerous drugs and other similar substances.
Dela Rosa made the reminded to the PNP after Tarlac provincial police reported that the bus driver involved in the SCTEX mishap refused to undergo drug test screening and the police officers did not insist to conduct one against the driver.
On May 1, 10 were declared dead, including four children, after a Solid North Bus plowed into four other vehicles on SCTEX in Tarlac.
