Sponsorship Speech
COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 99
Senate Resolution No. 325
An inquiry on the series of vehicular accidents involving drivers who tested

Mr. President, my distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, magandang hapon sa inyong lahat.

As Chairman of the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, it is my honor to report back to this august chamber Committee Report No. 99 filed by this representation, directing the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs to conduct an inquiry on the series of vehicular accidents involving drivers who tested positive for drug use.

Let me begin my speech by quoting the Code Commission's statement in justifying the requirement on extraordinary diligence to a common carrier under the New Civil Code, to wit: "The high standard of care is imperatively demanded by the precariousness of human life and by the consideration that every person must in every way be safeguarded against all injury".

Mr. President, commuting has become part of the daily lives of our kababayans. Thus, our laws and several Supreme Court jurisprudence have consistently reiterated the importance of ensuring that the public transportation sector exercise such extreme care and caution in order to protect its passengers and the public from tragic mishaps which could cause not only damage to property but most importantly, loss of innocent lives. In ensuring that drivers exercise extraordinary diligence in the transport of their passengers, we are likewise able to provide safe roads for our children, many of whom walk or commute going to school, thus hitting two birds with one stone.

Significantly, one of the causes of road mishaps is drugged driving, which has plague our country for decades, thus giving birth to R.A. 10586 otherwise known as the "Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013".

Notwithstanding these prevailing laws Mr. President, several accidents attributed to drugged driving are still continuously being reported, one of which being the case of Jules Villapando, the 13year-old Grade 8 student of Gen. Pio del Pilar National High School who died after they were hit by a speeding jeepney while crossing a pedestrian lane at the corner of J.P. Rizal Avenue and Mabini Street in Barangay Poblacion Makati City. The driver of which Mr. President was found positive for drug use.

*PLAY VIDEO CLIP*

Anyway, ito yung video Mr. President na yung isang grupo ng mga bata ay tumawid sa kalsada via the pedestrian lane na sinagasaan ng jeep na walang pakundangan tumakbo, parang walang nakitang mga tao na tumatawid at walang nakitang pedestrian lane, kaya ubos yung mga bata, tinamaan lahat yung isang grupo ng mga bata. Luckily, isa lang ang namatay, yung iba ay seriously injured.

Mr. President, it is very disturbing that almost on a daily basis, there are still reports of vehicular mishaps that claim lives and inflict critical injuries to bystanders and passengers damaging several other vehicles and properties along the site of the accidents. Worse, some of which are still due to drug use of specific people who are mandated by law to exercise extraordinary diligence.

It is of no question that the impairment from drug use is a serious danger to transportation safety. In fact, its adverse effect is even more extensive than using illegal substance in one's home as it exposes imminent threat to innocent lives regardless of age.

Unfortunately, Mr. President, among the findings of this Committee is the inefficiencies in the implementation of the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013, the law which could have prevented several road crashes attributed to drugged driving.

Mr. President, since my stint as PNP chief, I have consistently overemphasized the importance of the role of all government agencies in addressing drug problems in the country because I believe that it is the united and strong front against illegal drugs which will help us win this war.

Mr. President, it is the goal of this Committee to ensure that the implementation of existing laws will be effectively enforced, sustained and not short-lived, a wish that Mr. Rene Villapando, the father of the victim, expressed during the Committee hearing.

Mr. President, we need to address the issue urgently as discussed in Committee Report No. 99. We owe it to our countrymen to provide safe roads most especially to the children, the future of this nation. Let us not wait until another innocent life is put at stake for us to realize the utter need to proactively enforce our existing laws. As discussed in the committee report, without visible enforcement and swift penalties, a drug-driving law has little chance of changing behavior.

With this Mr. President, this Committee most respectfully recommends that the following actions be adopted:

Pursue the prosecution of cases against the jeepney driver, Crisalde Tamparong;

Ensure constant monitoring, implementation and enforcement of the law and conduct a comprehensive review of the IRR for provisions that may need amendments;

Identify the proper procedure in handling the persons in violation of R.A. 10586 and other related laws;

Undertake investigation for possible administrative action on law enforcement officers who failed to implement and enforce R.A. 10586;

Amend Section 10 of R.A. 10586 to make deputation of law enforcement officers, specifically the PNP, MMDA and local traffic enforcement officers in cities and municipalities, mandatory and if possible, through an agency to agency memorandum of understanding;

Because during the committee hearing Mr. President, noong tinanong natin yung LTO kung deputized ba nila ang MMDA, sabi nila hindi daw dahil hindi nag-apply ng deputation. Tinanong ko yung MMDA kung nagpa-deputize ba sila, ang sabi nila hindi din daw sila nagpa-deputize dahil ang dami daw requirements. So kailangan talaga nito, kasi parang mayroong turf war so para mawala ito, dapat magkaroon ng agency to agency memorandum of understanding. Strengthen the drug-free policy of public utility vehicle operators with constant monitoring of DOLE, LTO, PDEA and DOH;

Increase the minimum amount of civil damages that can be awarded in case of deaths arising from vehicular accidents in addition to the criminal liabilities provided in Section 12 of R.A. 10586 and other related laws;

Strictly monitor and implement the Deputies Training Seminar in order to strengthen the education or awareness campaign among the law enforcement officers;

Integrate road safety and drivers' education into K to 12 Curriculum so that awareness of the ill effects of drunk and drugged driving is instilled in child development stage; and

Effectively implement nationwide random terminal inspection and quick random drug test as mandated under Section 15 of R.A. 10586.

Hindi yung ningas kugon lang Mr. President, dahil nga after that incident doon sa Makati, nagkaroon sila kaagad ng random terminal inspection at drug test sa mga drivers at nakita doon na may mga positive. Afterwards, wala na naman. So may problema talaga tayo sa enforcement.

Mr. President, I most respectfully submit this Committee Report for the consideration of this august chamber. Our country has strong legislations but a continuous call on the government is necessary to ensure effective implementation and enforcement of these laws otherwise, it is nothing but a futile attempt to address the problem it seeks to prevent. Hindi ko man maibabalik ang buhay ni Jules, nawa'y sa pamamagitan nito ay maisakatuparan natin ang kahilingan ng kanyang ama na magsilbi itong aral upang hindi na maranasan ng ibang magulang ang hindi matatawarang sakit na dulot ng pagkamatay ng isang anak. Thank you Mr. President.