The Tagbilaran City government on Monday expressed intent to purchase Breathalyzers or breath analyzers in a bid to crackdown on drunk driving and ultimately reduce vehicular accidents.
The plan was raised by Mayor Baba Yap during the joint meeting of the city’s peace and order, anti-drug abuse and disaster risk management councils at the JJ’s Seafood Village.
Based on a report of Gerard Lavadia of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, 31 percent of motorcycle accidents responded to by the city’s emergency unit involved intoxicated drivers.
The data was gathered from January until the end of May, said Lavadia.
This prompted the Tagbilaran City Council to draft a resolution pushing the acquisition of alcohol breath analyzer units.
The resolution authored by Councilor Eleazer Borja was immediately approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
According to the officials, the gadget would hasten the probe of traffic investigators and boost detection of drunk drivers.
Republic Act 10586 or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act stipulates that violators of the law will be facing three to 20 years of imprisonment and fines of P20,000 to P500,000.
The act penalizes persons who drive under the influence of alcohol, dangerous drugs and similar substances.
It was approved and signed into law by former president Benigno Simeon Aquino III on May 27, 2013. (Allen Doydora)