A non-governmental organization is calling for the passage a law that will penalize drunk driving, which it said has become the norm in the Philippines.
BusinessMirror reports HealthJustice Philippines is supporting passage of the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving bill, which has already been approved by the Senate on final reading.
If the bill is passed into law, drivers caught driving under the influence face fines of P20,000 to P80,000 and face three months imprisonment. Drunk drivers who cause physical injuries face a fine of P100,000 to P200,000 imprisonment ranging from three months to 12 years.
If the accident results in homicide, the penalty is even higher: A fine of P300,000 to P500,000 or imprisonment ranging 12 years to 20 years.
“Unlike other countries, there is no policy to prevent Filipino drivers from driving under the influence. In Brazil, for example, the zero-tolerance law on DUI has resulted in a 34-percent drop of cases in the first year of implementation,” Irene Reyes of HealthJustice said.
In the same report, Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino said drunk drivers are not afraid of driving while under the influence because they think they can get away with it. “If death and injury are not enough to scare offenders, hopefully this law will be,” he said.
