TRECE MARTIRES CITY, Cavite (PIA) — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reaffirmed its commitment to intensify the government’s war against illegal drugs as it destroyed ₱5.32 billion worth of confiscated dangerous drugs on Tuesday, May 20.
A total of 2,227.76 kilograms of solid drugs and 3,447.09 milliliters of liquid narcotics were incinerated via thermal decomposition or thermolysis during a public destruction ceremony held at the Integrated Waste Management, Inc. (IWMI) facility in Barangay Aguado.
Among the drugs destroyed were 404.95 kilograms of shabu seized during a major interdiction operation at the Port of Manila last January 23, in a joint effort by PDEA, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
PDEA Director-General Usec. Isagani R. Nerez, who led the destruction ceremony, emphasized that public drug destruction activities are a cornerstone of the agency’s efforts to build trust under the administration’s “Bagong Pilipinas” governance agenda.
“These drug consignments, many of which were ordered by the courts to be destroyed, were securely incinerated beyond recovery. This public destruction reinforces the integrity of our justice system and assures the public that seized narcotics are not being recycled,” Nerez said.
“We are showing the Filipino people that we act with utmost diligence and integrity. They deserve nothing less,” he added.
Officials from the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Philippine National Police (PNP), various local government units, non-government organizations, and media representatives witnessed the destruction as part of PDEA’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
According to PDEA Calabarzon, it has intensified anti-drug enforcement operations in the region, arresting high-value drug personalities through buy-busts, seaport interdictions, and entrapment operations conducted from May 9 to 19.
These efforts led to the arrest of several suspects and the confiscation of illegal drugs. In Bacoor City, Cavite, 15 suspects, including three high-value drug personalities, were apprehended in multiple entrapment operations.
In another operation, PDEA conducted a seaport interdiction at the Port of Batangas City, arresting a suspect during a pre-boarding inspection for a trip bound for Calapan. The suspect was allegedly carrying around five grams of suspected shabu valued at ₱34,000, along with marked buy-bust money.
Meanwhile, in Antipolo, Rizal, authorities discovered an abandoned clandestine shabu laboratory containing liquid and powdery substances, as well as plastic sachets with traces of white crystalline material suspected to be shabu.
“Though the shabu laboratory was found abandoned, its owners and operators have been identified. It is only a matter of time before they are caught by the long arm of the law,” Nerez said.
He added that charges will be filed against the arrested suspects for violating various provisions of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. The suspects are currently in detention.
The operations align with the enhanced Philippine anti-illegal drugs strategy in pursuit of “Bagong Pilipinas” under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., which promotes transparent law enforcement in combating illegal drugs. (RBF/KAA/PDEA4A)
