3 PUV drivers in CDO test positive for illegal drugs

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Three public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers tested positive for illegal drugs during a joint operation conducted by law enforcement agencies in this city’s bus terminals.

This was confirmed Wednesday (April 17) by Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-10 (LTFRB-10) Director Aminoden Guro, whose office partnered with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-10 (PDEA-10) and the Land Transportation Office-10 (LTO-10) in the series of random drug testing on bus and taxi drivers.

Guro said two are employees of Rural Transit Mindanao Inc. (RTMI) bus company and one is a taxi driver. He did not divulge the names of the drivers.

Guro said the taxi driver confessed to being a drug user and has volunteered to be tested.

“He underwent the drug examination and was tested positive,” he said.

A total of 307 bus drivers and conductors were subjected to the random drug testing conducted by PDEA-10 in Agora and Bulua terminals Monday, but Guro said none of the drivers at the Agora terminal in Barangay Lapasan tested positive.

The drivers found positive for drug use were "interviewed by this office and were reported to LTO-10 for proper disposition and further endorsed to their respective barangays for any appropriate intervention,” PDEA-10 posted on its Facebook page.

Guro said LTFRB-10 will summon the RTMI management so the bus firm can explain why some of its drivers continue to use illegal substance despite its anti-drug policy.

In a previous interview, RTMI branch manager Jessie Boy Lentorio said the bus company conducts an in-house drug testing from time to time. (PNA)