P14-B narcotics seized despite drug war

CONTRABAND DESTRUCTION Drug enforcers and other officials witness the destruction of the largest narcotics haul. —PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY PHOTO

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Thursday destroyed more than 2 tons of dangerous drugs worth over P14 billion—the biggest in the history of drug law enforcement in the country—despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly drug war.

According to PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva, P14.3 billion worth of illegal drugs, paraphernalia and precursors were destroyed at Integrated Waste Management Inc., in Barangay Aguado, Trece Martires City, Cavite.

Largest volume

Based on the consolidated report of the PDEA Laboratory Service, among the largest quantities of illegal drugs destroyed included: 2,076.523 kilograms of “shabu” (crystal meth); 426.479 kilograms of marijuana; and 18.357 kilograms of ecstasy.

Villanueva lauded the National Bureau of Investigation for the bulk of the seized shabu that was to be destroyed. On March 15, NBI operatives intercepted in Infanta, Quezon province, three vans carrying 80 sacks weighing 1.5 metric tons of shabu concealed in Chinese tea bags.

“I am proud to say that this is the largest volume of illegal drugs that we have burned down in the 20 years since the establishment of the PDEA and the history of drug law enforcement in the country. This ceremony shows our capability and excellence in doing our job well,” he said.

The pieces of drug evidence were destroyed through thermal decomposition, or thermolysis, that involves breaking down chemical compounds with the use of tremendous heat. At 1,000 degrees centigrade, all dangerous drugs are totally decomposed or broken down.

The last time the PDEA burned down dangerous drugs was in January, with the bulk of the incinerated evidence being shabu weighing around 780,000 grams, worth P5.36 billion.

According to Villanueva, in his two years of heading the PDEA, a total of P34.635 billion worth of illegal drugs, paraphernalia, controlled precursors and essential chemicals used in drug manufacturing have been incinerated.

In October 2020, Mr. Duterte ordered antidrug agencies to destroy all narcotics in their inventory within a week to prevent unscrupulous antidrug operatives from recycling the contrabands and peddling them on the streets.

Regional trial courts are mandated to conduct a physical inspection of the seized drugs within 72 hours, after law enforcement agents filed the criminal case under Section 21 of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The PDEA shall then within 24 hours proceed with the destruction of the seized drugs. Only representative samples, which shall be kept “to a minimum quantity,” shall be retained and presented to the court as evidence.

In his speech, Villanueva said the six years of Mr. Duterte’s war on illegal drugs have been proven effective in maintaining peace and order in the country.

‘Apolitical’

He said that as of April 30, a total of 25,061 barangays—or 59.6 percent of the total 42,045 barangays in the country—were declared “drug-cleared,” while another 6,574 (15.6 percent) were “drug unaffected or drug-free.”

With this, 10,410, or 24.8 percent, of the total barangays remain to be cleared by the incoming administration.

On Tuesday, Villanueva urged President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to continue and intensify the Duterte administration’s war on illegal drugs.

The PDEA chief said the antidrug campaign should be free of politics, as he claimed that it has been proven effective in the reduction of crimes.

“The national antidrug campaign is apolitical and knows no color. The sanctity of human life is the only thing familiar to it,” he said.

In his presentation at the “Duterte Legacy” summit, Villanueva said the crime rate decreased from 45.04 percent in 2016 to 26.01 percent in 2022.