LASTIMOSO ORDERS PROBE ON ILLEGAL DRUG-TESTING CENTERS

Land Transportation Office Chief Roberto Lastimoso yesterday ordered an
evaluation of its list of accredited drug-testing centers following reports
that half of the 450 DTCs in Metro Manila were operating illegally.

The LTO chief directed Daisy Jacobo, chairman of the LTO drug-testing
committee to furnish him with an updated list of drug-testing centers that
had complied with the necessary requirements. Lastimoso also told reporters
that the LTO still has to determine which of the centers were legally
operating.

"We are still in the period where we are determining the legal DTCs from the
illegal ones, the list we had came from the past LTO leadership," Lastimoso
said.

The illegally operating DTCs are the ones who have failed to pay the
P500,000 surety bond required from the Government Service Insurance System.

Lastimoso, however, expressed optimism that operators of drug-testing
centers would conform to LTO regulations in the bid to weed out unscrupulous
members within their ranks.

The controversy over the DTCs began after driver's license applicants were
required to undergo drug testing to prevent illegal drug users from becoming
motorists.

More than 2,000 applicants were rejected after being found positive for drug
use since the LTO implemented the drug-testing requirement in October last
year.