Palace encourages support for Arroyo bill vs drunk drivers

Malacañang on Sunday urged lawmakers to support the bill filed by former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo seeking to criminalize drunk driving. “May merito ang proposal na iyan. Siguro po kailangan suportahan din iyan ng mga mambabatas (That proposal has merit and it should be supported by lawmakers)," said Presidential Communication Operations Office head Herminio Coloma in an interview by Radyo ng Bayan. Arroyo, the national head of the opposition party Lakas-Kampi-CMD, is set to face investigation by the Malacañang-created Truth Commission regarding the supposed corruption scandals under her nine-year rule as president. Coloma, in the radio interview, said a law is really needed to discourage motorists from driving when under the influence of alcohol. “Kailangan higpitan ang patakaran at maaaring lumikha ng batas upang ma-discourage iyan dahil nakaapekto iyan hindi lang sa kaligatasan ng motorista, madami ring buhay ang nawala sa drunk driving," he said. (A law is important to discourage drunk driving which endangers not only the life of the motorist. A lot of people had died because of drunk driving.) Government data showed a 6.2-percent increase in alcohol-related accidents resulting in death, physical injuries and damage of properties in the previous year. Coloma pointed out that other countries have stricter laws against drunk driving and have adopted measures like spot breath analysis to discourage driving when intoxicated. Arroyo’s bill, House Bill 382, which she filed with son Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado Arroyo as co-author, seeks to impose a P5,000 fine and two months suspension of driver's license on first-time offenders; a P6,000 fine and three months suspension of driver's license for second-time offenders; and a P7,000 fine and six-months suspension of driver's license for third-time offenders. Succeeding violation will be fined P7,000 and the revocation of driver's licenses. - KBK, GMANews.TV