LEGAZPI CITY — At least P286 million worth of illegal drugs seized in various drug stings in Bicol was burned on Friday in an incinerator facility in Camalig town in Albay province, a report from Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Bicol said on Sunday.
Cotton Talento, PDEA Bicol spokesperson, said in a belated report that 42 kilos of shabu or crystal meth and nine kilos of marijuana were burned through thermal destruction at the Goodfound Cement Corporation Kiln incinerator facility in Barangay (village) Palanog on Friday, November 27.
Talento said the burning of the seized illegal drug was “in compliance with the recent agency directive to destroy all those seized illegal drugs that had been approved by the court for destruction either because the cases had been already decided or the judge had allowed the destruction of the volume seizures of illegal drugs despite pending cases and recovered or surrendered illegal drugs with no pending cases and no persons arrested.”
The destruction of dangerous drugs are pursuant to the mandate of Section 21 of Republic Act 9165 and its implementing rules and regulations, she said.
Executive Judge Timoteo Panga Jr. of Regional Trial Court Branch 60 in Iriga City, Camarines Sur attended the ceremony. Panga encouraged all drug courts in the Bicol Region to fast-track cases and issue orders for immediate destruction once drug cases are terminated.