THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) yesterday burned some P5.32 billion worth of illegal drugs, mostly shabu, seized in recent anti-drug operations.
The destroyed drugs included 738.20 kilos of shabu worth P5.01 billion, 1,478.49 kilos of marijuana, 4.86 kilos of ecstasy and 38.21 grams of cocaine, PDEA said in a statement.
The burnt shabu included the 404.95 kilos of shabu worth P2.75 billion seized by the PDEA, NBI and Bureau of Customs personnel at the Port of Manila last January 23.
The illegal drugs were destroyed through thermal decomposition or thermolysis at the facility of the Integrated Waste Management Incorporated in Barangay Aguado, Trece Martires City in Cavite.
The ceremony was witnessed by Oscar Valenzuela, chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board, and representatives from the PNP and other law enforcement agencies, the Department of Justice, the Department of Interior and Local Government and non-government organizations.
“These are pieces of drug evidence confiscated during anti-drug operations by PDEA and other counterpart law enforcement agencies, including those turned over by authorities that were recently ordered by the court to be destroyed,” said PDEA Director General Isagani Nerez.
“Stacked inside a chamber, the dangerous drugs were burned beyond recovery,” Nerez added.
The event was the first drug destruction ceremony conducted since Nerez was appointed PDEA Director General about three months ago.
Nerez said the destruction of the illegal drugs dispels possible speculations that the seized illegal drugs are being recycled.
“PDEA promotes transparency where its actions are open to the Filipino people as advocated under the ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ program led by His Excellency President Ferdinand Marcos Jr,” said Nerez.
“The public deserves nothing less than our utmost diligence and integrity,” Nerez added.
Police seized P788,800 worth of suspected dangerous drugs and arrested four persons in a buy-bust operation in Rodriguez, Rizal yesterday.
Col. Felipe Maraggun, Rizal provincial police office (PPO) director, identified the suspects as alias: Enan, 46, a resident of San Mateo, Rizal; Negro, 29; Rose,28; and Junior, 22, all residents of Barangay Manggahan, Rodriguez, Rizal
Seized from them were five sachets containing more or less 116 grams of suspected shabu.
A fifth suspect identified as alias James managed to escape. – With Christian Oineza
