SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews / 31 March) – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) in this city will soon implement the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013 or Republic Act 10586.
LTO-Surigao officer-in-charge Emelita Orongan told MindaNews Monday afternoon that they are just waiting for the breath analyzer apparatus from the LTO national office to arrive.
Once the units get here, LTO operatives will then conduct checkpoints to implement the law, she said.
Orongan said her enforcers are also waiting for the deputation order from the Department of Transportation and Communication in support of this implementation.
Orongan cautions motorists to refrain from driving under the influence of liquor or drugs.
RA 10586 carries very stiff penalties ranging from P20,000 to P500,000 depending on the gravity of the offense or traffic violations.
PO2 Ritchie Manungas, one of four traffic investigators of the Surigao City Police Office, said he is happy that this will be implemented soon in the city.
He said this would lessen the traffic accidents involving drivers under the influence of intoxicating substance.
Manungas could not give information as to the number of traffic accidents involving drunk drivers for 2014 and 2015 but he noticed these incidents would always rise during holidays.
“Celebrations during fiestas, Christmas, New Year, and All Saints and All Souls Day, most of the traffic accidents on these occasions are due to drunk driving. I could certainly say that 98 percent come from drivers who are under the influence of alcohol,” Manungas said.
Ker Bajao, a resident of Butuan City, said he almost lost his life two years ago when he drove his motorbike under the influence of alcohol.
“I barely could drive my bike and I forced it which resulted to a horrific accident. I had suffered severe head injury and I was in coma for more than a month. I thought I was going to die. My parents and sibling spent more than a million pesos for my hospital bill and medicines,” he said in regret.
Bajao said he sees a lot of people blatantly drinking on disco bars during Friday and Saturday nights, putting themselves in danger.
With the implementation of the law, he said this would save lives of drivers and other road users.
