ILOILO City – All the 198 bus drivers and their 155 helpers, three bus terminal dispatchers and 12 other persons across Western Visayas who were subjected to unannounced drug tests on April 15 were found negative of prohibited substances.
Of the 198 bus drivers, 105 were in Iloilo City and province and 93 in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, according to Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 6 spokesperson, David Abraham Garcia.
“We want to make sure that public utility vehicle passengers are safe as they travel this Holy Week. We do not want vehicular accidents because drivers are high on illegal drugs,” said Garcia.
PDEA personnel collected urine samples from the bus drivers and helpers, dispatchers and staff of various bus companies for drug testing.
The unannounced drug tests were conducted on the same day that a bus fell on its side while navigating the road in Purok Kapayas, Barangay Pacol, Bago City, Negros Occidental.
One passenger died – the 28-year-old Ana May de Claro of Barangay Ma-ao, Bago City.
The accident happened around 1 p.m. The Ceres bus owned by Vallacar Transit, Inc. was bound for Barangay Ma-ao from Bacolod City.
An initial report from the Bago City police station stated that the bus had around 40 passengers.
As of this writing, the Bago City police was still investigating the incident. It took into custody bus driver Aimer Paro, 28, of Sipalay City, Negros Occidental.
Just this April 5 a bus plunged into a 30-meter deep ravine in Barangay Igbucagay, Hamtic, Antique. Three passengers died and seven others were injured.
The bus was totally damaged, according to Police Major Adolfo Pagharion, Hamtic police chief.
The casualties were fresh John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University graduate Grade 10 student Earl Aron Omanio, 18; Omanio’s mother Vivian, a 58-year-old music teacher at Belison National High School in Belison, Antique; and Evangeline Chicano, 58./PN
