11 October 2005
LTO: Erring drug test centers not our responsibility
SUPERVISION and monitoring of drug testing centers is no longer in the hands of the Land Transportation Office but with the Department of Health, the LTO chief of Dagupan City said Friday.
Patricio Urmaza was reacting to allegations that his office has been in connivance with unscrupulous drug testing centers for the issuance of test results that did not pass proper screening and actual testing.
Reports said that even drug users could obtain passing test results for a fee. It was also alleged that testing centers do not actually conduct screening of urine samples but still issue results so they can save on the materials they use to gain more profit.
Urmaza strongly denied the allegations saying he could not see any reason why LTO should connive with the testing centers.
“We are only interested in the result of the drug test for the issuance or non-issuance of driver’s license,” he said, adding that it was the health department which supervises and monitors the operations of the drug testing centers.
Ray Jacinto of the Bureau of Food and Drugs regional office was quoted in a radio interview as blaming the LTO for the presence of unscrupulous testing centers or tolerating their operations.
Patricio Urmaza was reacting to allegations that his office has been in connivance with unscrupulous drug testing centers for the issuance of test results that did not pass proper screening and actual testing.
Reports said that even drug users could obtain passing test results for a fee. It was also alleged that testing centers do not actually conduct screening of urine samples but still issue results so they can save on the materials they use to gain more profit.
Urmaza strongly denied the allegations saying he could not see any reason why LTO should connive with the testing centers.
“We are only interested in the result of the drug test for the issuance or non-issuance of driver’s license,” he said, adding that it was the health department which supervises and monitors the operations of the drug testing centers.
Ray Jacinto of the Bureau of Food and Drugs regional office was quoted in a radio interview as blaming the LTO for the presence of unscrupulous testing centers or tolerating their operations.
