PDEA destroys P21.5-M drug ingredients

Antinarcotics officials destroyed on Thursday P21.5 million worth of chemicals used in manufacturing illegal drugs at a treatment facility in Valenzuela City, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said.

A total of 23,209.4 liters of liquid chemicals and 6,274 kilos of solid chemicals seized in antidrug operations were destroyed at Green Planet Management Inc., a PDEA-accredited facility in Barangay Punturin, PDEA Director General Jose S. Gutierrez Jr. said.

The “controlled precursors and essential chemicals” were destroyed by treating them with water and neutralizing them with sodium hydroxide, Gutierrez said in a statement.

Other chemicals were treated with sludge or oil waste and mixed with compounds to make hollow blocks, he added.

“The public can rest assured the PDEA is taking all diligent measures to ensure that dangerous drugs and chemicals confiscated in all drug law enforcement operations are properly accounted for and destroyed in accordance with the law,” Gutierrez said.

The destruction of the chemicals was in compliance with Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, and Dangerous Drugs Board Regulation No. 1 which governs the custody and disposition of dangerous drugs, chemicals and laboratory equipment.

This year, the PDEA conducted four destruction ceremonies with the contraband amounting to P591 million.

Representatives from the Department of Justice, Public Attorney’s Office and nongovernment organizations, as well as barangay officials and the media, witnessed the ceremony.