Drug test still a requirement
Those who want to apply for a driver's license or renew their existing license are still required to take a drug test.
"In view of the motion for reconsideration timely filed by the aggrieved party, we are constrained to wait for the resolution of the same and not to implement the said decision in the meantime," Land Transportation Office Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante said in his letter to LTO-7 Regional Director Victor Caindec.
Earlier, Caindec wrote a letter to Galvante asking what to do after the court ruled that drug testing should no longer be a requirement for an applicant to get his or her driver's license.
"Gi-appeal man sa other party ang mao’ng decision, so in the meantime, padayon ang atong pag-implement sa drug testing sa driver's license applicants ug sa kadtong mo-renew," said Caindec.
Two months ago, the Court of Appeals 19th Division issued a ruling reversing and setting aside a Regional Trial Court decision.
The RTC enjoined the LTO and the Department of Transportation and Communications to comply with the mandatory drug testing, a requirement under Section 36 (a) of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
But in his decision, Associate Justice Louis Acosta stated that "the assailed RTC orders were issued with grave abuse of discretion and are therefore void, all acts emanating from them have no force or effect. The writ of preliminary injunction issued in favor of private respondents, which eventually became permanent in the assailed decision, has no legal effect."
Meanwhile, the Police Regional Office-7 conducted a random drug test on 128 personnel of the Cebu City Jail and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology last Friday afternoon.
PRO-7 spokesman Reyman Tolentin said that this is to support the agency’s campaign against illegal drugs and also part of BJMP’s internal cleansing.
Four out of 128 personnel who underwent the surprise drug testing were officials, including Chief Superintendent Arnold Buenacosa, BJMP7 director.
Buenacosa said that BJMP-7 will continuously cleanse their ranks of scalawags.
“Ang objective nito is to cleanse our ranks sa scalawags personnel also in support sa SONA ni President Duterte na patuloy ang relentless na fight against illegal drugs,” said Buenacosa.
Buenacosa added that three of his personnel were not around during the surprise drug test, however he already instructed them to go to take a drug test and submit the results when they return to work.
He also directed jails under him to conduct their own surprise drug test. —
Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon and Ermida Q. Moradas /BRP