MMDA: 2 bus drivers test positive for drugs ahead of Undas

MANILA, Philippines — Two bus drivers tested positive in initial drug screenings conducted at transport terminals in Parañaque and Cubao as authorities stepped up safety inspections ahead of the Undas long weekend, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said Monday.

At the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), one of the 32 drivers screened tested positive, while the other 31 tested negative. In a separate random testing conducted in three bus terminals in Cubao, another driver yielded a positive initial result among 86 drivers tested.

MMDA Chairman Don Artes said a driver who tested positive would undergo confirmatory testing. As a precaution, the driver was temporarily barred from driving while awaiting confirmation of the initial result.

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READ: LTFRB clears 1,131 buses for Undas travel surge

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“Part po ito para maging safe ang travel ng ating mga kababayan,” Artes said.

(This is part of our efforts to ensure the safety of our fellow Filipinos as they travel.)

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Regional Director Derrick Carreon said drivers flagged in the initial screening would undergo a second round of testing using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to determine the specific substance detected in the initial screening.

Carreon said the driver’s license would be returned if the confirmatory test found no traces of prohibited drugs.

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Meanwhile, Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Assistant Secretary Markus Lacanilao said the license would be revoked in accordance with applicable regulations if the confirmatory test established the presence of prohibited drugs.

The inspection at PITX was led by MMDA Chairman Don Artes on Monday, Oct. 26, with representatives from the Land Transportation Office (LTO), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), PNP-Highway Patrol Group (HPG) and PDEA. The random drug tests were conducted by the MMDA Medical Clinic, headed by Dr. Annabelle Ombina, in coordination with the PDEA.

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The MMDA said the operation was conducted in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to strengthen security and protect travelers during the holiday period.

Authorities also checked the availability and condition of fire extinguishers and other emergency equipment on board, including early warning devices, and examined their condition.

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The MMDA said the inspections and screenings were part of its road safety preparations for Undas 2026. /mr