PNP: Prompt destruction of seized drugs to unclog evidence rooms
MANILA, Philippines — Early destruction of illegal drugs confiscated during police operations will free up space in evidence rooms, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Thursday.
“It will create faster inventory, and most especially, it will [unclog] and create space in evidence rooms for more seized drugs in the future,” PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said in a statement after the Office of the Court Administrator issued a circular reminding regional trial courts (RTCs) to speed up issuance of orders for the destruction of confiscated narcotics.
In another statement, PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa said the police organization will also make “urgent representations” with courts for the destruction of drug evidence after the representative samples were retained and properly documented.
Under the high court’s circular, judges must follow requirements of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 which mandated that after filing a criminal case, the court should conduct an ocular inspection of confiscated illegal drugs and paraphernalia within 72 hours. Consequently, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency should proceed with the destruction of the seized evidence within 24 hours.
PNP records showed that 1.57 metric tons of crystal meth or also known as shabu, and 2.9 metric tons of marijuana were seized in 25,612 separate police operations during the first six months of 2020.
