The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Friday revealed that their inventory of 756 breath analyzers, purchased in 2015 and 2017, now includes only over 200 repairable units.

This prompted LTO chief Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II to order the canvassing of shops for the repair and calibration of the remaining breath analyzers.

“These breath analyzers were not bought under this administration. The first batch of 150 units was bought in 2015 for P10.2 million, while the rest of the more than 600 units were bought in 2017 for more than P38,000 per unit. The total cost of these two procurements for a total of 756 units of breath analyzers was P33.8 million,” Mendoza said.

In 2020, the PNP returned 50 units, and another 150 units in 2021, all for calibration, which is important and mandatory for any metering device. The issue of breath analyzers arose during a Senate investigation.

“The breathalyzers are one of the issues I encountered when I inquired about why they are not being used. This was when I assumed the top post in July last year,” Mendoza said.

“But this was overtaken by more challenging issues, especially the need to address the backlogs on license plates and driver’s licenses, as well as the need to focus on improving our digital platforms,” he added.

During the initial canvassing, it was found out that the company that supplied the more than 600 units of breath analyzers in 2017 closed shop a few months after the delivery, making it difficult now to tap it for recalibration.

Mendoza said more than 500 units are already damaged and irreparable.