By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — The Land Transportation Office (LTO) will impose license revocation as the sole penalty for motorists who exceed legal alcohol limits starting November 15, replacing a system that allowed either suspension or revocation in a tougher crackdown on drunk driving.
LTO Chief Markus Lacanilao said motorists who test positive in breathalyzer examinations will be issued show-cause orders by the agency’s Intelligence and Investigation Division (IID), requiring them to explain their test results before the agency makes its decision.
Under the revised policy, revocation will be the prescribed penalty, although motorists will retain the right to due process and an opportunity to present their explanation.
Lacanilao said the stricter measure responds to the continuing disregard for the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol, citing fatal road crashes in Cebu linked to drunk driving.
The policy seeks to strengthen deterrence against motorists who put other road users at risk by getting behind the wheel after drinking.
Republic Act No. 10586, or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013, sets the blood alcohol concentration limit for private vehicle drivers operating vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of up to 4,500 kilograms at below 0.05%. Public utility vehicle drivers are prohibited from having any alcohol in their system while driving.
With the November 15 implementation date approaching, motorists face a stricter consequence for violating alcohol limits: license revocation instead of the previous option of suspension.
ia/xf
